The Lovely in the Lancelot
by asc12
Summary: Sweets is on his way to a case when a state trooper pulls him over. Eager to flash his own credentials, Sweets is dragged from his car & beaten. Once he arrives at the crime scene he fails to mention his most recent experience and his strange behavior. Will Booth & the rest of the squint squad figure out why in time?
1. Chapter 1

The Lovely in the Lancelot

_I wanted to dedicate this story to LovelyLancelot whose glowing reviews I always greatly appreciate.  
_

_I do not own Bones._

* * *

1.

_Timeline: End of season 9. Sorry but season 10 just doesn't exist__. :)  
_

"And I said baby, baby, baby, baby, baby…" Sweets admired his own voice as he jammed along to the James Brown classic screaming across the radio. He may not have been a soul man but he had the voice for it. His solo came to an end however when he heard a pitch not quite in tune with the loud song playing over the car's speaker system.

Sweets looked up to the rear view mirror, a sight causing anyone's shoulders to slump at the reflection of the red and blue flashing lights in the reflection. _Man, what did I do? _Sweets thought to himself as he pulled off the desolate two lane divided highway. _I'm getting pulled over by a cop on the way to a crime scene, how ironic is that? _Sweets wondered when another thought came to mind. _Wait, I'll show him my FBI badge, man then he'll feel stupid. This will be fun! _Sweets was getting excited as the cop approached the car with his trademark slow and self-assured swagger. Sweets grew excited at the exchange that would take place when he could point out the _state_ trooper that he was a _federal_ agent. Sweets was down-right giddy by the time the copper got to his window but he couldn't shake the question in the back of his mind - why he was getting pulled over in the first place?

Sweets waited until the cop was at his window to roll it down, it was cloudy with a light mist and cool breeze out there and he wanted to block it out as long as possible. The mechanical window made its way down as Sweets looked up at the cop with his wide brimmed hat and reflective shades.

"What's the problem officer?" Sweets asked trying not to smile too much.

Sweets didn't hear the answer because his ears were ringing from the jolt from a stun gun at his neck. Sweets head swam but he reached for his gun. The cop was quicker taking it from the highly disoriented Sweets who heard the car door open and after a quick un-click was pulled from the car. He could feel a couple of quick kicks to his chest leaving him completely without air. He tried to gasp for air as he was dragged back to the police car.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

"Where the hell is Sweets anyway?" Hodgins asked.

"Yes, I don't see why we need to wait any longer, we have everything we need." Brennan complained as well.

Booth was trying to hold his contempt for Sweets who was, when Booth called him an hour ago, was close to being there.

"Why are we waiting on Sweets anyway?" Cam asked breaking Booth from his thoughts.

"I wanted to get Sweets involved in the cases more." Booth explained. "He's been doing great- this time I wanted him to lead the case and I would assist him to see how he did in that role. I was going to surprise him with it when he got here actually. Whenever he decides to show up that is."

"Sweets did well when we caught that swim coach." Brennan said. "But if this an indication of his time management skills there is more work needed. While I agree with your decision to lead while you assist, I do not agree that we should wait any longer - these remains will need to get back to the lab quickly to begin our investigation."

Booth knew Brennan was right, he was annoyed with the young doctor/agent for letting him down, especially when he was going to entrust him with something important.

"You're right let's get…" Booth began to say when the sound of a car could be heard approaching.

"Speak of the devil." Hodgins said with annoyance.

"You know what, you guys get going, I'll get Sweets up to speed okay?" Booth said as the squint squad began to pack up to leave.

The team began placing evidence in the car as Sweets approached them.

"Hey Booth what's up?" Sweets asked.

Booth shook his head in disbelief. "What's up? Sweets you're like an hour late in getting here. What the hell was more important?"

Sweets eyes were busy looking around, the scene, the people, everyone around them. Booth knew Sweets like to take everything in but he seemed rather weird today.

"I got lost." Sweets said. "So you mentioned something about a case?"

Booth wondered why Sweets was acting a little off, it was like he was inventing answers instead of providing them. "Yeah Sweets a case, remember, what we do for a living. Except you're late and we have all the evidence packed and ready to go."

Hodgins walked by and gave Sweets a light and playful swipe on the shoulder. "Way to screw up on the first time leading a case with Booth." He said and kept walking. Booth turned to give Hodgins a _was that really necessary _look and turned back to Sweets who had a strange smile on his face, it was a smile but it looked unhappy and Sweets who normally caught on to everything had missed the fact that Hodgins had let out of the bag what Booth hadn't told Sweets yet about leading the case. Still, Sweets looked a little green in the face.

"What's up now?" Booth asked half annoyed with Sweets inability to jump into the case with the tenacity he had expected of Sweets.

"Nothing." Sweets said quickly straightening up but his eyes involuntarily winced again. "Just sitting in the car so long."

"Well why didn't you call?" Booth asked.

"Bad reception." Sweets said looking over the crime scene. "I'm really, very sorry I'm late."

Booth sense the sincerity in Sweets voice and he knew the kid would never have bad intentions towards him so he decided to let it go - despite the fact he felt like there was something more to the way Sweets was acting.

"Okay, well the squints are all packed up but I'll go over what we found." Booth said walking back towards the scene while Sweets followed slowly behind.

"You coming Sweets?" Booth said at Sweets slow pace.

"Yeah, just uh, sore from the car ride."

"Your neck's red." Booth said coming closer to see a red mark peeking out of the top of Sweets collar."

"Yeah." Sweets said pulling the collar up. "Crazy red head last night." Sweets gulped.

Booth shook his head. "As long as you can stay away from employees of the Jeffersonian lab I'm good with it. If Daisy didn't teach you that, Jessica should have."

Sweets sighed and Booth questioned while wild sex was a relief to Sweets, the man was darn right weird this morning.

"Okay, so two bodies were found here." Booth said pointing to the dirt that had been finely combed by the squints. "Two males, one mid-thirties the other mid-twenties, Bones said no relation but both were Caucasian, both had their necks snapped.

"Sounds like it could be a hunting accident." Sweets said shrugging his shoulders. "How do we know it's murder."

Booth was surprised with Sweets flippant and uninterested attitude. "Because there's a big difference between someone's neck being methodically snapped and falling-breaking it and landing side by side in a posed manner."

Booth was annoyed.

"Oh. Right." Sweets said looking at the crime scene with an intense focus. Booth found this strange because there was only dirt - no bodies.

"Sweets, what the hell are you looking at?" Booth asked.

"Oh, just trying to imagine the whole scene." Sweets said using his hands as though drawing a picture. Booth thought it looked more like he was inventing a story than investigating a murder.

"Let's get back to the Jeffersonian and see what the squints have found in the evidence." Booth said leaving the area. "And follow me closely this time - I don't want you _lost _for hours."

Sweets nodded but Booth couldn't help but wonder why the younger doctor kept looking around - as though to see if anyone was following him. Booth walked to the car trying to hide his disappointment in Sweets, the man certainly wasn't up to leading a case like he thought he was.

* * *

_The first two chapters are short, sorry, it will grow from here ha ha._


	3. Chapter 3

3.

**Booth waits impatiently for Sweets to show up at a crime scene. He is so late that the rest of the squints pack everything up and head back to the lab when Sweets finally gets there. Once he shows up however, he acts uninterested in the case. Booth is left wondering if he should have given Sweets a chance to lead this case.**

* * *

Booth checked the rear view mirror at intervals to make sure that Sweets was still following behind him. He wondered what had gotten into the young doctor and why he was acting so strangely. Booth also wondered why so often Sweets continued to check his own rear view mirror. He assumed it was a mere reaction to Booth doing the same thing and dismissed anything more by the time they arrived at the Jeffersonian.

"Sweets?" Booth said to the psychologist who was busy scanning the parking lot. "You coming?"

"Yes, yes of course." Sweets said picking up his pace but keeping several feet between himself and Booth. Booth noticed because Sweets was one of those guys who always walked plenty close to you, perhaps seeking an emotional connection thru a physical space. Booth sighed inwardly as he realized he now sounded like the psychologist himself.

"Hey Bones." Booth said approaching the platform and swiping his card. "Find anything?"

"Yes, oh, good afternoon Dr. Sweets I did not see you there." Brennan half said it to get Sweets attention to the remains on the tables instead of looking around the lab. She thought Sweets was quite smart and didn't want to see him fail so immediately on this case.

"Yes of course." Sweets answered again in a near robotic tone. "There are new findings?"

"Yes, we have two victims, both have devoid of any visible signs of identification." Brennan explained over the two skeletons on the cold tables before them. As Sweets fingers brushed against the metal he looked up, seemingly reminded of the reality.

Brennan continued. "Angela is running a missing persons listing but finding a lot of matches to two Caucasian males in their mid-thirties and mid-twenties may not yield a high number of results."

"You said the cause of death was broken necks?" Sweets asked and Booth was glad to see him finally partaking in the case discussion.

"Yes, I believe you are familiar with the human anatomy?" Brennan said handing him the x-rays. Booth wondered why he never got handed x-rays but he remembered he had told Brennan years ago to stop. Sweets studied the x-rays closely and Booth realized it was close enough to be more than 'just nice' - he was looking for something.

"Was the force that broke the neck by an object or strangulation?" Sweets asked though from his tone Sweets seemed to be hoping for a third option.

"Small particles were found at the scene." Hodgins interrupted. "I ran them and discovered they are a northern white ash. Specifically it comes from lumber in Pennsylvania and New York state."

"So it's a tree?" Booth asked. "Like a tree limb but we were in Virginia."

"Right but this has been treated." Hodgins interrupted. "The best lumber comes from these states to make baseball bats."

"I thought they were made from hickory?" Cam asked joining them on the platform.

"They used to be but hickory was too heavy. Modern bats are made from maple or northern white ash." Hodgins explained.

"So someone took a bat to the back of our guys necks." Booth surmised.

"Could it have been suicide?" Sweets asked. "One hits the one and then the other?"

"Quite impossible." Brennan interjected quickly. "They blow would have caused immediate death."

"Why are you so determined it's not murder?" Booth asked Sweets outright.

"I just think we should consider all options." Sweets said looking at the x-rays again, an obvious distraction from conversation.

"We don't have much more but we will call you when we find something." Brennan said trying to stave off a mounting tension between the two men.

"Fine." Booth said. "We'll head back to the office and do some digging of our own."

Booth left with Sweets following a second later.

"My Sweets mind must be on something." Cam observed. "He never walks away without saying goodbye."

* * *

Booth hadn't waited for Sweets when he left the parking lot, he sped off quickly without waiting for the younger man this time. He was pissed and he needed a little space to consider his thoughts and why the young doctor was so insistent on being so uninvolved. After he got to FBI headquarters, Booth took a moment to calm himself and sort his thoughts before heading to Sweets office. Once he got there, he found he was alone. _He left the same time as me, where the hell did he go? _Booth wondered to himself as he waited and continued to wait another thirty minutes. Each time Booth got up from the couch to leave he thought Sweets might walk in and he'd have to walk back down here. As he was about to drift off, the door opened.

Sweets jumped when he saw Booth sitting on the couch. Booth noticed Sweets looked slightly disheveled.

"What did you take a nap on your way back?" Booth knew it was harsh question but he was upset that Sweets was paying so little attention to his first assignment, so much so that he wasn't even sure if Sweets realized it was even his sole assignment.

"No, I uh, stopped for, uh, an errand." Sweets said walking slowly into the room. "What can I help you with Agent Booth?"

"What's with you Sweets? We've got a case and you're hardly paying attention and don't seem interested in this case. If you want off this case tell me and I'll reassign it to myself as lead." Booth nearly shouted.

"No!" Sweets said quickly turning around and taking a moment before saying much more. "No, you're right, I haven't been very focused. I apologize."

"I don't need apologies Sweets." Booth said though he realized it was kind of nice to have Sweets apologize. "I need for you to focus on this, look this could do a lot for your career if you really want to be involved in cases at the next level."

"I do, you're right I do." Sweets said sitting down rather slowly.

"What long car ride again?" Booth asked. Sweets quickly sat up as though covering for his slow movements.

"No, yeah, no, uh slept crooked last night." Sweets said.

"Look Sweets it just seemed like you wanted this case to be accidental or a suicide. It's clearly murder and if you want to stay on this case you have to get your head in the game." Booth warned.

"You're right Booth. I do, I do need to get my head in the game." Sweets said and shifted in his seat. "Look, how about I go over all these notes and see what I come up with. Maybe let me know if you hear anything more from the Jeffersonian?"

Booth could tell that Sweets wanted some space alone to work and get him out of his hair. He would have thought it was odd except he knew that was how Sweets worked, except this time he was slightly more nervy than others.

"Sure Sweets." Booth said heading towards the door. "But you're the lead, they'll be calling you."

* * *

Booth headed back to his office and began his usual investigation work. He tried to keep his mind set to how it would do it in assisting another agent, an act that would be hard if it hadn't been his decision to support Sweets in a lead role. He was completely thrown off however with Sweets behavior and wondered if it was leading a case that was doing it. Maybe Sweets wasn't ready he wondered.

"Carl Sager." Sweets said walking in the room with a file folder he handed to Booth. "He was the younger of the two men."

"No identity on the older of the two?" Booth asked while flipping thru the folder to see a photo of Sager with flesh and a face.

"No, nothing yet." Sweets said but Booth felt a tickle on his neck, the one that said it what he just heard was a lie. He assumed it was overuse of starch because surely there was no conspiracy between what Bones and Sweets discussed on the case.

"Dr. Brennan was able to identify the younger man based on a hip replacement surgery. There was a serial number on one of the replacement bones." Sweets went on to explain.

"Why on a guy so young?" Booth asked.

"The guy was a dare devil." Sweets explained. "Well, he decided to become one recently I should say. It wasn't going well so far when he had his hip replaced. Angela found a corresponding video of him doing it. Amazing what people will post online."

"So he was promoting himself?"

"Sort of, according to his blog that Angela ran me thru, his wife died of cancer, if left him on edge with grief. He tried this whole thrill seeking thing with a manager and all. After the first accident he gave it up." Sweets explained.

"Could the older guy be the manager?" Booth asked looking at the photo of the younger man who was attractive and fit. He could only imagine losing a wife so young and so painfully and reserved judgment for the man's choices, as dumb as they were.

"No, they checked, the manager is alive and well, on with new clients." Sweets said.

"Any idea on who this other guy is?" Booth asked.

Sweets shook his head as he looked at his lap. "Time will tell." He said finally.

"Alright, well I guess it's late." Booth said looking at his watch. "We can pick this up tomorrow morning if you don't have anything more."

"Sounds good to me." Sweets said getting up.

"Hey Sweets..." Booth said getting up but he realized the young man was already gone from his office.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

_Ah poor Sweets, what is going on with him? We will find out fairly soon…._

**Booth &amp; Sweets head to the Jeffersonian where Sweets begins to partake in the case but not as involved as Booth would like. Sweets seems to be still pushing the case off on the issue being accidental or suicide- anything but murder. When they get back to the FBI building Booth goes to talk to Sweets who is late in getting back to the office, despite the fact they left at the same time. Booth voices his concern that Sweets is not actively involved in the case and suggests he should not be the lead. To this, Sweets vows be more clear headed and work on the case more diligently. Brennan learns the identity of the younger man, Carl Sager, thru a hip replacement surgery. After the untimely death of his wife the man took up a short lived stint as a thrill seeker but gave it up. The older man's identity is still unknown.**

* * *

The next morning was proving to be a fruitful one as Booth found two voicemails in the early morning from Sweets on his phone. Sweets had discovered that Carl Sager had gone into debt with his wife's illness and gone into the trucking industry. By placing his house for sale he bought a big rig to live - and work in. The job would keep him off his bad hip as well. Sweets second voicemail informed him that he had located the missing truck and was sending an FBI forensics team out to collect any evidence and take it to the Jeffersonian.

Booth wondered why he preferred the Jeffersonian team look over something so regular as what would most likely turn out to be fibers at the crime scene instead of the FBI office and have them send the results to the Jeffersonian. Booth shrugged as he figured Sweets had his reasons.

Booth was left with another question, what time did Sweets leave the messages?

* * *

Booth opened the door to Sweets office and watched as the man jumped when Booth came in.

"Looking at comic books again Sweets?" Booth teased him at the sudden jump in what he perceived was playing around on the computer.

"Booth, good morning." Sweets said trying to pass it off as nothing.

"Hey you left me those voicemails at like eleven last night. How late did you work?" Booth asked.

"Late enough." Sweets said yawning.

"Why? You could have checked that stuff out this morning. What, didn't you want to go home last night?" Booth teased.

Sweets eyes flared for a second but he shook his head like it was no big deal and looked for something to say.

"Look Sweets, I know the whole romance thing hasn't been going well for you with the Daisy debacle and then the Jessica debacle." Booth said in a tone that teetered between teasing and compassion. "But you know it'll work out one day. Perhaps with someone who doesn't have a long pony tail, high voice and is employed by the Jeffersonian Institute."

Sweets shook his head in annoyance but enjoyed the light conversation between the two of them, he seemed to welcome the distraction. He got up and walked out of this office as Booth followed. "Thank you agent Booth, perhaps I will troll the possibilities here at the FBI."

"Can't date people at work Sweets." Booth teased as they walked to the coffee maker when Booth noticed something. "Hey what's that big scratch on your chin?"

Sweets froze for a second as he touched the surface of the skin that obviously hurt to his touch. "Oh, that…uh…"

"Damn Sweets, it's all purple too! What did you do?" Booth said coming closer to inspect the mark that was hidden below Sweets chin enough you could not see it at first glance.

"Oh, it's nothing." Sweets said with a quick glance to Booth. "Well, I mean yeah it hurts but it's so dumb, I was so tired when I left my dress shoe slipped on the step while I was yawning. I hit my chin on the step outside my place."

"Oh." Booth said thinking it sounded plausible. "You gotta be more careful." Booth warned him.

"Yeah I will." Sweets said pouring a cup of black coffee and sipping it with great anticipation until his phone buzzed. "Ah, looks like the forensics team did find some fibers in the cab…" Sweets scrolled thru the message. "But not much else. Yuk, that's what I was fearful of."

"What's that?" Booth asked wondering if this is what it was like to be the one waiting on the information instead of doling it out.

"Well the truck was in a swamp. I was hoping enough of it was above the muck, but looks like very little was." Sweets said though he had a slight sense in his tone that he didn't care either way.

"Okay, so what's next?" Booth was anxious to get to the case, do what came next. Sweets seemed more content thinking and drinking his coffee.

"We need to find the identity of the other man." Sweets said taking out his phone. "I'll call Dr. Brennan."

Sweets saw that Booth had taken out his phone too. "Oh sorry Sweets, habit." Booth apologized and put his phone away. "You should make the call."

"It's fine Booth, you are married to her." Sweets headed back to his office. "Just let me know what she says."

"No, Sweets you should, you're the lead on this."

"Booth being in the lead is also about knowing when not to push something that's not important." Sweets smiled and headed back into his office.

Booth headed back to his office and called Brennan.

"Hey Bones, do you have an identity on that other guy yet?" Booth asked.

"No, nothing yet. We have run some of his known information thru the computer but we have no matches - much like Carl Sager. Sager was never actually reported as missing even though he's been dead for two weeks."

"With his wife passed and working on a truck alone he must not have any family or apparently friends." Booth guessed. "If it took him across country with his load even the company may not have noticed he was missing."

"Well Angela is running the other man's credentials thru a facial reconstruction and see if we can… oh wait a minute Booth…what's that Angela?" Brennan spoke with Angela a moment and then came back on the phone.

"Okay Angela has a hit, still no missing persons filed. She has an 82% match on him. His name is Ross McLaughlin, his profession is a private detective out of DC."

"Great Bones, I'll go tell Sweets!" Booth said excitedly.

"Oh that's another thing Booth, I have a bag of evidence that just arrived from the forensics team of the FBI, why didn't he just have them run it thru your lab?" Brennan asked.

"I dunno, Sweets has been sort of different lately."

"Yeah I've noticed that too. What do you think it is?" Brennan asked, concern laced in her voice.

"Maybe it's nothing. Maybe he's just trying to be in control with the lead on the case and all, maybe he just has his own way of doing things." Booth said with hope in his voice. After he said goodbye he headed for Sweets office not only to tell him the news but to figure out if there really was anything more to his change of behavior.

* * *

"Hey Sweets." Booth said coming into his office. "Sweets?" Booth asked again looking around.

Before Booth could say it again Sweets stood up from behind his desk.

"Hey Sweets' what's wrong?" Booth said walking closer to see a pale faced Sweets.

"Nothing, I just…my pen…it rolled under the desk all the way to the back and I had a damn hard time getting it." Sweets said holding the pen out.

"You look sort of winded." Booth said believing there was more to it.

"Oh, yeah, I feel so dumb, I got my head stuck. For a second I thought I was done for. Don't tell anyone." Sweets said sitting down with a much needed relief. "I'd feel so stupid if anyone knew."

"Okay." Booth said sitting on the corner of Sweets desk and feeling more at ease as he watched the psychologists' smile return. "Oh hey, Bones called, well, she didn't call, I was talking to her when Angela came over."

"Ross McLaughlin?" Sweets asked.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Booth asked in surprise.

"Angela sent me the file a few minutes ago, probably after she told Brennan." Sweets explained. "What are you thinking, what's a trucker and a detective doing in the middle of nowhere?"

"Is there a punch line?" Booth kidded.

"I wish that's all it were." Sweets said as the seriousness crept back in. "I'd like to know what he was investigating."

"I'll get on it - if you want." Booth said. "Or would you rather me track down his car - maybe it's hidden like the truck was."

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind looking for his car I'll check out this guy." Sweets said, a look of determination on his face Booth admired as he saw Sweets back in the case again.

"Sure thing Sweets." Booth said heading to the door. "Hey how about lunch? You look hungry."

"Yeah maybe." Sweets said offering a smile as Booth left.

Booth walked out the door with a renewed confidence, it seemed as though Sweets was really on the case now, he felt relieved.

* * *

Booth found the make and model that McLaughlin was known to drive and by lunch had located a car that had been seen on the side of the road outside of town. Booth checked the location of the truck and found it was south of the crime scene, this car was north. Still he was interested in this car.

He picked up the phone to call the forensics team but this time he wanted to see the car himself. He liked field work - see the car in its setting. He would go and see the car, which wasn't far and then bring it in for processing. This time it wasn't stuck in a swamp so it could be examined fully in the lab. He was happy with that idea Sweets would agree. Booth headed to Sweets office.

Booth walked in Sweets office without knocking as usual to see him put a notepad in the portfolio case he often carried with him. Sweets jumped as Booth came in unannounced.

"Geez, Booth, could you knock sometimes?" Sweets said startled while moving his notes to the edge of the desk opposite Booth.

"Maybe I did last time you were on the floor finding a pen and you couldn't hear me." Booth joked.

"I doubt it." Sweets answered sarcastically.

"Hey Sweets, find anything on McLaughlin?" Booth asked.

"No, nothing." Sweets said jogging some paper.

"Well, I found the guy's car." Booth said happily. "I have it secured. Let's go look at it."

"Why?" Sweets asked look, a pale look on his face. "The forensics…"

"Sweets sometimes it's about fieldwork - come on let's go!" Booth said playfully but he noticed that Sweets didn't seem as amused. He looked around with that pensive look again and nodded.

"Okay, uh, let's go then." Sweets said looking around at his desk. Booth wondered why Sweets seemed to need to leave things with a certain order.

"Sweets, it will all be here when we get back." Booth assured him.

"Right, uh, I'll just take my notes." Sweets said taking his portfolio and holding it rather close Booth thought.

"Sure, but I'd take my gun."

"Oh shoot..." Sweets said going back for it.

"That's not the right thing to say when getting your gun Sweets." Booth teased hoping to ease the tension of the younger man. He wanted Sweets to be mindful of the case but he felt like Sweets needed to loosen up too. Booth figured he was pretty tense on his first case too.

"Hey, mind if I drive?" Booth asked. "I mean nothing wrong with your car it's just that…"

"That's fine!" Sweets quickly agreed earning a raised eyebrow from Booth. "I mean, use your gas not mine, that's fine."

The pair walked out of the office.

* * *

"Hey there it is, up there." Booth said and noticed a tension overcome Sweets face. "I've got forensics on the way Sweets, we're still doing this by the book."

"Yeah, yeah. Good." Sweets said, still oozing tension.

Sweets and Booth pulled up behind the car on the side of the desolate and dirt road. Booth approached the police officer who stood by their car to gather any information he may not have gotten on the phone.

"Agent Booth?" The officer asked him to which Booth nodded. "We spoke on the phone, I did as you asked and haven't touched anything."

"Thanks, do you know when the car was first spotted?" Booth asked.

"Not until about two days ago." The officer answered. "We're a small county but we keep busy with calls and other matters."

"Other matters?" Booth asked.

The officer smiled. "We had a parade recently."

Booth nodded at the tribulations of small town sheriff work and glanced at Sweets who was watching their conversation intently but kept a distance instead of joining them. Booth began to wonder why but it was a typical of Sweets lately to do strange things so he didn't ask.

"People don't drive down this road often." The sheriff continued and thus gained Booth's attention again. "We may not have found it yet had the game warden not come down this way to take a piss."

Booth nodded and looked back at Sweets seeing a sight that made him quickly rush over.

"Sweets what the hell are you doing?" Booth asked.

"What? Uh nothing. I'm just looking in the window." Sweets said but his nervousness was impossible to hide.

"Sweets you were wiping off the car door handle! What that the hell!? Now we can't get any prints off it!" Booth seethed keeping his voice low enough so the local law enforcement couldn't hear him.

"No, I wasn't I was just…" Sweets voiced pleaded forgiveness and guilt.

The forensics team pulled up behind them causing Booth to walk away from Sweets and see them. Sweets took a step away from the car and looked inside.

Booth and the forensics people stepped in front of Sweets, it was obvious Booth was pissed but he took a breath.

"Sweets you can't do anything by accident at crime scene okay? You know that by now." Booth chided as Sweets nodded along consenting to his ill choice.

Both agents stepped back as the forensics people went thru the vehicle and collected items in evidence bags.

"Do you want these to go to the Jeffersonian?" Booth asked Sweets as they were done collecting items. Sweets eyes looked over his shoulder for a second and back to the techs as he nodded yes.

"We'll take the bag now and you can tow the car there." Booth suggested.

"I'll just need you to sign these sir." The tech said to Booth who looked at Sweets who had hardly said a few words except a few extra things to collect from the vehicle.

"He's the lead agent, he should sign it." Booth said.

Sweets held the pen in hand but seemed resistant and scribbled his name. Booth noticed it hardly looked like his regular penmanship perfect signature.

"Here you go sir." The tech said handing the bag of evidence to Booth. "We will get this car to the Jeffersonian soon."

Booth headed to the officers to say that the car would be towed and to say goodbye.

"I'll be in the car." Sweets said taking the evidence bag with him. Booth wanted to say it was good habit to talk to the local police in case they needed them later but he was getting exhausted with Sweets behavior. Instead he went and talked to the local officers, gave him his card and stepped into the car.

* * *

At the Jeffersonian Booth walked up to Brennan to talk while Sweets took the evidence bag up to the platform.

"So you found McLaughlin's car?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah but nothing on what McLaughlin was working on before he disappeared." Booth explained.

"Wasn't that what Sweets was working on?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah, I guess he didn't get anywhere." Booth said as they joined the others on the platform.

"Hey this evidence bag is open." Hodgins said looking at it.

"Oh, yeah I just opened it for you." Sweets said looking at the table.

"Sweets you know that isn't procedure." Cam said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot, I was just anxious to get started." Sweets said though Brennan noticed a tremor in his right hand.

"Next time Dr. Sweets, please exercise patience." Cam warned as they emptied the bag with several fibers, a package of cigarettes, a can of soda that Sweets thought the man might have been drugged with, a wallet that was kept in the glove box.

"Why is the wallet not with him?" Angela asked.

"Long car rides, guys take it out of their pocket so they don't have to sit on it the whole way." Booth explained.

"Cards is still in it, some cash so this wasn't about robbery." Hodgins observed.

"I thought there was some notes." Booth said looking around. "Sweets wasn't there some papers?"

"I don't think so." Sweets said.

"Yeah I'm sure there were."

"Do you mean these Booth?" Brennan said holding out a bag.

"Yeah, maybe." Booth said looking at the bag. "These look like insurance papers, I thought I saw like notebook papers."

"I should get back to the office." Sweets said turning to leave. "You'll call me if you find anything?" Sweets asked the squints.

"Yes of course." Cam said.

"Wait, Sweets, what are you going to walk?" Booth asked.

"Oh, I thought you might want dinner with Dr. Brennan." Sweets said. "I can call a cab."

"No, Sweets that's silly. I'll take you back to the office."

* * *

Booth and Sweets were headed back to the office and Booth couldn't help wonder what Sweets was doing with that door handle and he was sure that there were notes in the car. He looked over at his protégé who looked pale and exhausted.

"Sweets when did you eat last?" Booth asked bluntly breaking the young man from staring at nothing out the window to the darkening outdoors.

"Huh? Oh this morning." Sweets said.

Booth didn't buy it. "What did you eat?" Booth asked.

"What? Oh, uh, cereal?" Sweets answer sounded more like a question.

"Are you sure that was today or was that yesterday?" Booth asked but Sweets rubbed his head.

"I don't know Booth, I'm just, I'm sorry, and I'm just tired." Sweets said.

"Well you need to eat and sleep Sweets, they go hand in hand to be a good agent with a sharp mind." Booth wanted to encourage Sweets but based on his reactions it seemed more like he was coming across as a nagging teacher.

"Thanks." Sweets said in what seemed to Booth like a grasp at sounding gracious. Truth was though Booth had a tingling sensation that something wasn't right. _If I'm training Sweets in some way I need to go all in. _He told himself as he turned the car to a sharp right.

"Where are we going?" Sweets asked with surprise.

"The diner. You need to eat something and then we'll go over the case." Booth said and as he saw Sweets mouth open to argue he added, "No arguments."

Sweets shut his mouth without a word being said, seemingly because Booth knew Sweets knew he wouldn't win short of sitting in the car like a child while Booth ate.

* * *

Booth sat in his seat while Sweets sat slowly across from him.

"It wasn't that long of a car ride to be cramped." Booth said.

"Must have just pulled a muscle." Sweets said setting his portfolio with his notes to the side.

"What can I get you two?" Then tentative waitress asked.

"Coffee." Sweets ordered.

"Sweets it's like six at night." Booth said but realized the younger agent must have been trying to stay awake. "Oh, I'll take the same and how about our usual's?"

The waitress walked away and Booth found himself anxious to get rid of her not caring much what Sweets truly wanted to eat. He was pretty sure that "anything" was a good start.

"Sweets what's keeping you up at night?" Booth asked.

Sweets shrugged. "Nothing, it's just…this case."

"Well it's nothing grizzly." Booth said as the waitress returned with two cups of coffee and left.

"No it's not that." Sweets said taking a sip of the hot coffee.

"Is it taking the lead on the case?" Booth asked. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I thought you couldn't do this. Sweets you can do this."

"Thanks Booth." Sweets said taking another cautious sip.

"I mean there's nothing about this case you can't handle." Booth went on hoping it was adding more confidence to the psychologist/profiler/agent. "There's nothing to beat yourself up over."

The heavy diner mug slipped from Sweets hand crashing on the counter spilling hot coffee on him. Sweets jumped up as most of the sparse diner patrons turned at the sound of the noise. Conscious everyone was looking at him Sweets nodded that he was fine.

"Damn Sweets are you okay?" Booth said stepping forward at the reddening of Sweets hand from the hot liquid. Booth saw it was all over Sweets white shirt and must have burned his chest as well.

"Yeah, just give me a second okay?" Sweets said hurrying to the restroom.

Booth sat down so everyone else would as well and he knew Sweets certainly didn't need help in the bathroom. He was pretty sure the hot liquid on his skin hurt and imagined Sweets was running some cold water over it.

Booth's phone rang distracting him.

"Hey Bones." He said answering.

"Booth, where are you?" She asked.

"Sweets and I stopped at the diner for a bite to eat."

"Good, Sweets was looking deficient in proper nutrition." Brennan observed. "However I was calling because of a couple of things I found. There were cigarettes in the vehicle however upon closer inspection of Mr. McLaughlin's teeth I can tell that he was never a smoker."

"Really?" Booth said surprised and recalled that Sweets suggested they collect the cigarettes. "He must have had someone with him. Anything else?"

"Yeah, I have an address that was there, do you have something to write on?" Brennan asked.

Booth reached in his pocket but realized he left his pocket notebook on the dash of the car. He reached over and picked up Sweets portfolio to use a page of notebook paper.

"Yeah go ahead." Booth said flipping to a new page until the old page got his attention. It was three pages worth of notes on Ross McLaughlin and what he had been working on before his disappearance, all in Sweets handwriting. Booth seethed as he recalled Sweets having told him he found had found nothing on McLaughlin.

"Bones I've got to call you back." Booth said as Sweets returned to the table.

Sweets looked at Booth holding his notebook as the waitress arrived with food.

"We're going to need that to go." Booth said seething with anger.

* * *

Sweets carried his box of hot food much in the same way Booth carried his – with great disinterest. The car ride back to the FBI building was a quiet one though Sweets seemed to be anticipating quite a conversation that never took place. Booth felt like a father who was trying to get his thoughts in order so he could yell at his child because he felt that was what Sweets was acting like.

They got back into the building. "Your office." Booth said with gritted teeth. By the time they arrived Sweets appeared to be less like a kid in trouble and more like he just didn't care which made Booth even more angry.

As soon as they got to Sweets office Booth slammed the door shut and turned to face Sweets but before he said anything he shoved his hand into Sweets inner chest coat pocket and pulled out folded papers. Sweets rubbed his chest at the interaction but Booth paid more attention to the pages he unfolded.

"Dammit Sweets!" Booth shouted as he held McLaughlin's papers in his hand, the missing evidence pages. "Stolen evidence? Tampering with evidence? Trying to push the case off on suicides? LYING to your partner, your friend about not finding out anything?!" Booth's voice raged with anger as he shouted, each word reaching a greater disappointment and fury inside.

"What's it been eight years Sweets? And you just…what the hell were you thinking?" Booth shouted but Sweets only bit his lip as his eyes searched Booth's face.

His lack of an explanation infuriated Booth more. "For a smart guy Sweets you're damn stupid. This can and **will **end your career - I can't trust a guy who helps the bad guy. I mean, this isn't all an accident is it?"

Finally Sweets shook his head no.

"Then tell me Sweets, please give me an explanation on why the hell you would throw away all the trust I had built in you!" Booth shouted but Sweets only seemed to shrink inwardly the more Booth shouted. He shook his head no and stood perfectly still.

"That's all you have to say to me? You're not even going to tell me why you lied to me? You're going to throw this all away without any explanation?" Booth continued to shout but Sweets' face was filled not with sadness or fear but an expressionless calm.

"You son of a bitch." Booth said at Sweets demeanor as he walked to the door. "To think I trusted you – that was the biggest mistake I ever made."

Booth walked out the door slamming it in his wake as he stormed down the hall. He stopped when he got to the end of the hall, looked at the evidence in his hand, evidence from Sweets pocket. _How could Sweets do that? It doesn't make sense. Right Seeley it doesn't make sense. Sweets has been there for you, times you pushed him away again and again, the first time he pushed you away you yelled and ran. _Booth sighed as he put the papers in his pocket. _You shouldn't have yelled, that's why you waited till you got here, to control your temper but it didn't work. What would Sweets say about that? _Booth wondered to himself without realizing he had asked himself the automatic question. _Maybe you should find out, and while you're at it, find out why he's acting so strange and why he would risk it all on some case._

As Booth thought about the fact it didn't all add up more and more the faster his pace picked up as he walked back to Sweets office. As per his usual he didn't knock and instead just barreled thru the door. As he did he was filled with far more questions that he had in his inner conversation before. Sweets coffee soaked shirt sat on the floor as Sweets stood before an overnight bag before him pulling out a tee shirt. He hadn't put it on yet so Booth could see the one thing his attention was drawn to the most – the completely bruised and scarred chest that Sweets was sporting.

Sweets jumped when Booth stood there having seen the sight before Sweets fell back from the surprise entrance. Booth realized how on edge Sweets had been lately and suddenly got an idea it wasn't because of caffeine- he was scared – down right terrified of something and his injury ridden chest was a good indication he had reason to be.

"Sweets!" Booth said approaching him as Sweets backed up from his position on the floor until he ran into his own desk.

"Booth, no, it's nothing. You're right, I was wrong to…"

"Sweets!" Booth said stopping him and crouching next to him. Sweets held the tee shirt close to his chest with his arms crossed over it defensively but Booth could still see the nauseatingly dark bruises on the skin up to the neckline – everywhere covered by a shirt. His arms were laced with circles or possible burns and more bruises and even a few cuts. Booth then saw the darker red circle on Sweets neck, hidden by the collar of his shirt but made Booth knew by a stun gun.

"Sweets what the hell is going on here?" Booth asked the man who had been so stoic lately. "How does this not hurt?"

"It does." Sweets said. "I didn't want to lie to you." Sweets stoic and apathetic gaze began to break as his eyes grew red and his breathing increased. "I had to."

"This….this has something to do with the…." Booth wanted to say lies but suddenly he felt terrible for everything he had said, even worse than before when he came back to Sweets office.

"I'm sorry." Sweets said trying to collect himself as his indifferent face returned and he tried to put his shirt on giving Booth more time to see the bruising and become even more concerned about the three ribs be presumed might be either broken or at least fractured. "It's not…I can't…"

"Sweets you can't even get your shirt on." Booth said helping him. "And you're going to tell me what's going on." Booth's tone was like the dinner invitation, one not to be denied. "And I think you'd better start from the beginning."

* * *

_Okay in my time zone it's still "today" to count for the daily update. Reviews are welcome. What do you think so far?_


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Sweets could hear the ringing in his ears after the stun gun zapped at his neck. His body was slow to respond in reaching for his gun but the trooper pulled it away before he pulled Sweets from the car. Sweets felt the pavement on his face and two swift kicks to his chest leaving him without much air. He gasped for air as he was physically helpless to move from the result of the stun as he was dragged back to the police car.

"What…" Sweets tried to say as he focused on the trooper with the wide brimmed hat and reflective shades in which he only saw himself. "I'm…" Sweets tried to say figuring there had to be some sort of misunderstanding.

"I know who you are, you're Lance Sweets of the FBI, lead on the murder investigation at Lummend Crossing." The trooper said coldly.

Sweets was confused, he wasn't a lead sort of guy, but he remembered Booth said when he called that morning he had something important for him to do on the case. Sweets didn't think about it more because the trooper was gaining his attention again by a swift punch in his ribs. Sweets twisted at the pain but the officer held him in place by pressing down on him. Sweets chest was screaming at the pain as his senses began to return as the stun increasingly wore off.

"If you know who I am then you know you're messing with a federal agent." Sweets said boldly.

"I can mess with a lot of people son." The trooper seethed. "I've got access to a lot of things but one thing I don't have access to is a murder investigation."

Sweets eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out where the trooper was going with his. Sweets looked over to see the trooper's badge and name but where one should have been were only pin holes - Sweets figured he must have taken it off to avoid his name being known.

"So what do you…" Sweets wasn't even sure what to ask when the trooper began to talk for him.

"You're going to that murder investigation and shut it down. I don't care how, but end it." The trooper instructed him and stressed his seriousness by twisting on Sweets arm as he said it. Sweets was sure the guy wanted him to realize how serious he was.

Sweets wanted to spit at the guy and tell him never but he knew if he did he might get a bullet in the head and then he might move on to the next agent in charge. Sweets didn't want anyone else to get hurt.

"Yeah sure okay." Sweets agreed and tried not to seem too eager about it.

"No, see you're just saying yes and you figure you'll hunt me down later. Live to fight another day right?" The trooper said with a curled up lip. "No, see you're going to do this and if you step out of line - I'll know."

The serious tone of the man's voice made Sweets realize this was bigger than just some wayward cop - or one dressed like one.

"You see I've got a pretty big operation in place. I want it to stay that way. One of my people, well they got careless and left the bodies behind. That's where you come in, you end this investigation - you do and no one gets hurt. That's right no one - like those people you work with, Angela and her little boy Michael let's see he goes to Sunnyside Daycare, maybe that bone lady and her little girl who sometimes stays with her grandpa Max, or maybe even a few of your coworkers at the FBI. See, I know a quite a little bit about everyone."

Sweets felt a panic rise as he considered the knowledge that this guy had - it appeared to have gone past basic guessing.

"What information I don't have on them I will get but I've got most of what I need. If you need convincing…" The trooper pushed in on Sweets sore ribs as he said it. "Then I can start reciting social security numbers and addresses if you want.

"Okay I get your point." Sweets said as the trooper released the tension on Sweets side. "Case dropped and they don't get hurt."

Sweets mind was racing even as he said it. If this guy wanted this case dropped - and would go thru all this trouble- this had to be far more extensive than a double homicide, _what's this big operation he has in place _Sweets wondered.

"Don't pull anything funny." The trooper said stepping back cautiously. "If I'm not watching I've got plenty of other people who are."

The trooper pushed Sweets back towards his car and opened the door for Sweets who stood tepidly outside the door.

"You ain't got all day son. Better hurry before they solve this case without you." The trooper leaned in closer. "And I'd hate to have to go after someone else."

Sweets stepped gingerly into the vehicle as quick as he could despite the pain it instantly placed on his chest and side. The trooper shut the door and handed Sweets his gun after he emptied the clip and the chamber.

"Don't forget _Lance _\- I'll be watching." The trooper strolled back to his vehicle and quickly got inside and drove off. Sweets noted that his plate was strategically covered with mud.

Sweets rubbed his head as he considered all of what had just happened - wondering if it was real when his aching chest told him it was all too real. _I can tell Booth, he won't tell anyone _Sweets said to himself. _Come on, you know Booth, the moment he gets involved he's going to tell Dr. Brennan and then there it goes - they will want to save the world with as many people 'secretly' involved as possible but someone will leak it - someone will slip and someone will know, it will be just like Pelant when that agent got involved and killed, shit another great idea I had. Your ideas get people killed Lance…_

Sweets felt his chest ache but this time not as much from pain but from the guilt. _This time if anyone gets killed it's just you - you don't tell anyone and then no one gets involved. You can write it all down and keep it in a safe place in case something does happen, then they'll know. _Sweets felt it was the right thing to do but like any person he had no wish to die. He felt scared and alone in the endeavor he was about to face. _That's life Sweets_ said to himself as he started his car and continued on his way.

* * *

Sweets pulled up at the crime scene and tried his best to keep his composure and every inch of his being that told him to rush to his friends and tell them of the situation he was in. As he turned his car off he looked at the other officers who had reported to the scene who now milled about. _Any one of them could be involved, _Sweets considered to himself and recalled the troopers' threat that he had many people working for him and watching. Sweets got out of the car and tried to add the best attitude he could to his demeanor that suggested not a thing in the world was wrong.

As he approached he watched as the Jeffersonian team was placing evidence in the car. He knew he was late and felt his apprehension grow, he decided to play it off.

"Hey Booth what's up?" Sweets asked.

Booth shook his head in disbelief. "What's up? Sweets you're like an hour late in getting here. What the hell was more important?"

Sweets eyes were busy looking around, the scene, the people, everyone around them, anyone who could be watching and waiting to report his activity to the insane trooper.

"I got lost." Sweets said. "So you mentioned something about a case?"

Sweets pretended he didn't notice the strange glances Booth was giving him. "Yeah Sweets a case, remember, what we do for a living. Except you're late and we have all the evidence packed and ready to go."

_Thank God, then I don't have to stand here anymore, my chest is killing me. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. _Sweets thought to himself as Hodgins walked by and gave Sweets a light and playful swipe on the shoulder. "Way to screw up on the first time leading a case with Booth." He said and kept walking. _Ugh, why the hell did that hurt so much? Sweets wondered of Hodgins's hit - probably because you just got the crap kicked out of you a half hour ago - _Sweets reminded himself and hoped Booth didn't see the grimace that momentarily took over his face. He was pretty sure Booth was glaring at Hodgins so Sweets offered a big smile trying to cover the immense pain he was still trying to conceal. _Hodgins said lead on the case but Booth hasn't said anything yet, technically I don't know either, shit he's pissed at me. Crap, I can't worry about that too, one crisis at a time here._

"What's up now?" Booth asked and Sweets realized he was completely annoyed with him. Sweets was busy trying to keep up with the conversations taking place along with the ones in his head.

"Nothing." Sweets said as he tried to stand tall but there was no comfortable position to stand in, his insides were still screaming. "Just sitting in the car so long."

"Well why didn't you call?" Booth asked.

"Bad reception." Sweets said looking over the crime scene for a distraction and wanted to offer up some apology. "I'm really, very sorry I'm late."

"Okay, well the squints are all packed up but I'll go over what we found." Booth said walking back towards the scene while Sweets followed slowly behind and felt a relief, _whew, maybe he's going to let it go._

"You coming Sweets?" Booth said and Sweets wanted to shout, _dammit Booth I'm going as fast as I can, my insides are about to bust out._

"Yeah, just uh, sore from the car ride." He was afraid Booth was going to take too much notice. _Come on Lance, suck it up, that's what Booth would do - if his arm got cut off he'd shout for another one and Brennan would toss him one, now come on!_

"Your neck's red." Booth said coming closer to see a red mark peeking out of the top of Sweets collar to which he tried to pull up and conceal.

"Yeah." Sweets said searching for a convincing lie that would distract him. "Crazy red head last night." Sweets gulped as he hoped Booth would buy it.

Booth shook his head. "As long as you can stay away from employees of the Jeffersonian lab I'm good with it. If Daisy didn't teach you that, Jessica should have."

_Sold! _Sweets shouted in his mind. Booth bought into it and he sighed a relief earning another glance from Booth. _Play it cool _he reminded himself. _Yeah, play it cool suck it up, solve - no deter the case, keep everyone safe and try not to get killed. That's not too much right _he said sarcastically to himself.

"Okay, so two bodies were found here." Booth said pointing to the dirt that had been finely combed by the squints. "Two males, one mid-thirties the other mid-twenties, Bones said no relation but both were Caucasian, both had their necks snapped.

_Crap, snapped necks, how could that be 'not murder' _he pondered. "Sounds like it could be a hunting accident." Sweets said shrugging his shoulders. "How do we know its murder?"

Booth's expression was far more aggressive than he had planned on. "Because there's a big difference between someone's neck being methodically snapped and falling-breaking it and landing side by side in a posed manner."

_He's pissed, back up, revise plan._

"Oh. Right." Sweets said while working out a new plan. He looked all around them, perhaps another explanation could be planned.

"Sweets, what the hell are you looking at?" Booth asked.

_What am I looking at? I'm looking for a scapegoat. Oh! Maybe a goat ran then down! No, he's not going to buy that one. _"Oh, just trying to imagine the whole scene." Sweets said using his hands as though drawing a picture and buy some time for his next idea. Booth did not seem to buy into this method.

"Let's get back to the Jeffersonian and see what the squints have found in the evidence." Booth said leaving the area. "And follow me closely this time - I don't want you _lost _for hours."

_Hell yeah I'll follow you closely! _Sweets shouted in his mind while he walked back to his car. _I'll damn well get in the car with you if you'd let me but you're so damn pissed at me I don't think that's going to happen._

* * *

Each time Booth checked his rear view mirror Sweets was sure to check his. He thought about taking this time to send hand signals to Booth for help but he was sure that wasn't going to go well. Here he was, trapped - free - but trapped. _Come on Lance, you're a smart guy, figure this out. All you have to do is get this case over and then it's done, the heat's off and then you can figure out what this guy is up to. Right, good plan. It's illegal and completely morally wrong but I don't have a lot of options do I?_

They pulled into the Jeffersonian as Sweets looked around, _is there anyone watching, could they be here too? They couldn't be working at the Jeffersonian, of course I didn't think whoever this is could be a state trooper either._

"Sweets?" Sweets looked back to Booth and wondered how long he had been staring at the parking lot. "You coming?"

"Yes, yes of course." Sweets said picking up his pace to catch up but then wondered if someone hadn't planned on them being together. _If someone fires a shot I don't want them hitting Booth - he's got a family, maybe I should keep a few feet between us just in case. _Booth looked back at Sweets. _What the hell was that look for? Finally, we're inside, wonder if there is anyone in here. _Sweets looked around the building at each employee wondering if he had seen him or her in there before.

"Hey Bones." Booth said approaching the platform and swiping his card. "Find anything?"

"Yes, oh, good afternoon Dr. Sweets I did not see you there." As Brennan said it Sweets realized he had paid very little attention to the remains and mostly to his surroundings.

"Yes of course." Sweets said, _just keep a straight face, man you sound like a robot, just go with it, calm and even keeled, works for Dr. Brennan_. "There are new findings?"

"Yes, we have two victims…" Sweets heard Brennan's voice talking but he couldn't help but let his mind wonder back into his predicament. His fingers brushed against the cold metal table causing him to quickly look back up and join the rest in reality. _Geez this could be me if I don't figure this out - or worse - this could be one of them if I screw this up. Shit._

Sweets heard them talking about the case but was busy looking for a way out, not a way to the end game result. "You said the cause of death was broken necks?" Sweets asked.

"Yes, I believe you are familiar with the human anatomy?" Brennan said handing him the x-rays. _Yes, I am Dr. Brennan though you tend to think of me as an idiot. Oh Lance let's not worry about that right now. Say, why do I address myself with my own name? That's really your concern right now **Lance? **Geez, now I'm yelling at myself, just keep looking at the x-rays, maybe there's something here, maybe he had bone cancer and he dropped dead and then snapped his own neck. If I keep staring at these will a solution provide itself like some grand epiphany? Because if it will I'll keep staring at these films all night. Shit, tonight, man I don't want to go home what if… wait, what if…_

"Was the force that broke the neck by an object or strangulation?" Sweets asked hoping for a third option.

"Small particles were found at the scene." Hodgins interrupted. _Fantastic, was it of alien life form, maybe aliens got him, Hodgins would buy it _Sweets thought as Hodgins spoke. "I ran them and discovered they are a northern white ash. Specifically it comes from lumber in Pennsylvania and New York State."

_It's a baseball bat. I wonder how long it will take them to figure that out. _Sweets wondered as they talked.

"So it's a tree?" Booth asked. "Like a tree limb but we were in Virginia."

_Nope not yet. It's always so hard to keep this to myself so I don't get called a smart pants and get eyes full of daggers shot at me. _

"Right but this has been treated." Hodgins interrupted. "The best lumber comes from these states to make baseball bats."

_Oh goody, they figured it out, no wait, dammit, they figured it out. If there's a weapon then it's murder, it can't be murder. Crap, they're still talking about wood. Okay, think, you can't get them out of the idea it's murder, what can you do?_

"Could it have been suicide?" Sweets asked. "One hits the one and then the other?" _That might be one of your stupidest ideas ever._

"Quite impossible." Brennan interjected quickly. _Yes I know, it was dumb._

"Why are you so determined it's not murder?" Booth asked Sweets who tried to keep his calm. _Think fast Lance._

"I just think we should consider all options." _Crap, I'm no good at lying, quick a diversion, oh the x-rays, look at those again._

"We don't have much more but we will call you when we find something." Brennan said. _Oh thank you Dr. Brennan, that's an option to leave._

"Fine." Booth said. "We'll head back to the office and do some digging of our own."

_Man the guy just oozes being pissed, do I have to go? Yes, you have to go._

* * *

_Where did Booth go? I'm betting he drove off pissed. Well I can find my own way back to the office, what can happen to me? Oh don't joke Lance._

Sweets got in his car and headed back to the FBI building so deeply embedded in his thoughts on how to fix the case and thus his situation he didn't see the van come up behind him and tap him hard enough for him to swerve. Sweets looked back and saw the van pull to a stop. _Crap, this can't be good, but what if it's just a random accident, if I don't stop… crap… I haven't gotten to refill my gun yet._

"Hey buddy, sorry about that." The big guy outside his window said. "I was busy texting and driving."

"Oh well, no harm, let's just go on." Sweets said with his window still up.

"I can't, I dented my fender, it's a work van. Sorry, man, I gotta file a claim."

Sweets ran a series of expletives thru his head. "Alright." He said opening the door.

Sweets got out and on the sidewalk. It was a busy street so he figured maybe this was just a random and poorly timed accident. He walked back to see the damage to the bumper while the big guy stood out by traffic making a phone call. Sweets looked back at the bumper feeling okay he could see the guy and the traffic when a set of arms pulled him back and into the side door of the large service van.

One hand was held over his mouth while the other guy held his arms down. _Not good _was all that came to Sweets mind. He could hear the other guy still outside on the phone.

"Yeah we've got him here." The man said. "Yeah we're checking."

"Did they drop it?" The one man with the mask asked.

Sweets realized this must be more of the trooper's "people" who were working for him. At least three, Sweets suspected there must be many more.

"Answer me!" The other guy said letting go of Sweets mouth so he could jab Sweets side with the butt of a baseball bat.

_Ah, probably the murder weapon, and maybe the murders, well this case could be solved if I wasn't supposed to not solve it._

"Are you deaf or dumb?" The guy said moving to strike again.

"No." Sweets said quickly causing the guy to not strike. "No, they found parts of that bat there."

"Yeah right." The guy said not believing him.

"See that piece missing there?" Sweets nodded with his head as his hands were still behind his back. "Yeah, those splintered off and embedded in the guy's neck. They found them before I could get there, your trooper friend was keeping me busy."

Sweets could hear the guy outside telling who he presumed to be the trooper, or boss, as he called him, on the phone.

"Yeah, what now boss?" He asked after a long pause. "I'll ask."

The guy came close to the window. "You got any last words?"

Sweets gulped. "I can't stop it from being a murder investigation." Sweets felt like he was signing his own death certificate. "But I could destroy any evidence. I'm going to have to look like I'm working on the case or they will be suspicious and reassign it." Sweets was trying not to sound desperate and just in control. It seemed like it was working because they were listening. "You let me work on it and I can make it so it won't go to trial."

"Yeah?" The man outside said. "Yeah, will do."

Sweets waited to find out his fate.

"Plan B." The guy said causing the man to raise the bat to Sweets head.

"No, no, no marks where anyone can see them!" The other guy said stopping him and Sweets suddenly realized why the trooper kept to his chest and side. The man instead swung it across Sweets chest.

"That's a reminder to keep in line." The guy said as he opened the door and pushed Sweets onto the sidewalk.

Sweets felt the cement under him for the second time this morning along with the strong ache in his chest.

"Get back to work!" They said as they pulled away.

Sweets laid on the sidewalk for a second hearing the cars go by and wondered why no one stopped. _They must think I'm homeless or something_ Sweets thought as he slowly pushed himself to a sitting position but the weight on his chest still stung and burned. _Maybe no one stops because no one cares – in this world you're alone. _Sweets rubbed his head as though ridding it of the thought, _you're just tired and feeling alone because you can't share this with anyone. It's time to get back to work _he reminded himself as he slowly found feet under him and even after another moment found himself steady on them as he got back in his car.

* * *

Sweets didn't lock eyes with anyone on his way to his office and instead tried to get there as quickly as possible. He had glanced in the mirror when he got out of his car – the henchmen were efficient he gave them that – not a visible scratch where anyone could see. Sweets exited the elevator and adjusted his tie but the quick movement made him wince. He reminded himself when he got off the elevator to hide all indication of how terrible he felt. He glanced down at his shirt and suit jacket, along with his pants were all rumpled and disheveled. He didn't look terrible but he knew he looked, off.

The last thing Sweets expected to find in his office was what was sitting there was Booth, so much so that Sweets jumped when he entered.

"What did you take a nap on your way back?" Booth said.

_Are you kidding me? _Sweets asked himself. _Nap? I got the shit kicked out of me, twice this morning._

"No, I uh, stopped for, uh, an errand." Sweets said walking slowly into the room trying to hide his irritation at his situation. "What can I help you with Agent Booth?"

"What's with you Sweets? We've got a case and you're hardly paying attention and don't seem interested in this case. If you want off this case tell me and I'll reassign it to myself as lead." Booth nearly shouted.

"No!" Sweets said thinking of all the ramifications, the danger it would cause. He knew he needed to switch gears quickly. "No, you're right, I haven't been very focused. I apologize."

"I don't need apologies Sweets." Booth said as his voice began to soften. "I need for you to focus on this, look this could do a lot for your career if you really want to be involved in cases at the next level."

"I do, you're right I do." Sweets said glad to be at his chair. He wanted to sit down very casually but mostly he wanted to just start screaming at the pain. He decided to move slowly and hope Booth didn't notice. He felt like he was about ready to pass out and that for sure Booth would have noticed.

"What long car ride again?" Booth asked of Sweets slow movements.

_He's not as dense as I thought, no that's not nice, I'm just angry, I shouldn't take it out on other people. As bad as I feel I just feel like everyone should notice – maybe I'm better at hiding my pain than even I thought. Actually I suppose I've done it for years, and for years they never noticed then_. "No, yeah, no, uh slept crooked last night." Sweets said.

"Look Sweets it just seemed like you wanted this case to be accidental or a suicide. It's clearly murder and if you want to stay on this case you have to get your head in the game." Booth warned.

"You're right Booth. I do, I do need to get my head in the game." Sweets said and shifted in his seat. _How do I get him out of here so I can take a bottle of aspirin?_ "Look, how about I go over all these notes and see what I come up with. Maybe let me know if you hear anything more from the Jeffersonian?"

"Sure Sweets." Booth said heading towards the door. "But you're the lead, they'll be calling you."

Sweets waited until Booth shut the door behind him and let his head fall to the desk. He wanted to cry for the pain and the irritation the case was causing. _That's not going to help Lance, you have to get yourself out of this – now think._

Luckily the phone rang and someone else could do so thinking for him.

"Sweets it's Dr. Brennan. I have an ID on the younger victim."

* * *

Sweets heard what Dr. Brennan had to say and then went to tell Booth everything she and Angela had found. He was glad the six ibuprofen had gotten him thru the half hour conversation with Booth over the details of Carl Sager's life and untimely death. Booth may have wanted to talk longer but the moment Booth looked away Sweets got up and walked away heading back to his office. It was late and Booth would be needing to go home to his family. Sweets though had no interest in going home, not yet anyway – he had work to do.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

The next morning was proving to be a headache for Sweets who had a puzzle in front of him he wasn't exactly sure how to solve. He loved puzzles, he was good at puzzles - he didn't like this puzzle. He had spent the early part of the evening doing research, solving the case and then figuring out how to cover it all up. Sweets had found that Carl Sager had gone into debt with his wife's illness and gone into the trucking industry. By placing his house for sale he bought a big rig to live - and work in. The job would keep him off his bad hip as well so he left Booth a voicemail. The thought of going home wasn't appealing since each time Sweets had gotten into his car he was attacked so he stayed later and worked more. He then located the missing truck and was sent orders for an FBI forensics team out to collect any evidence and take it to the Jeffersonian. He felt safer if it went to the Jeffersonian - should anything happen to him then they could still solve the case. If the FBI people kept it in their files it could be gone, who knew how extensive the trooper's network was.

Sweets thought of the trooper and ran thru the state roster. Sweets had half assumed at the time that the guy was only dressed like a trooper but his vehicle and dress attire looked authentic, and he had information available to a trooper. _Well sure, anyone will pull over for a trooper. Still that could be hacked, stolen._ Soon enough Sweets found the answer in Officer Dan Carter, a highly decorated and commended state trooper. The more Sweets dug the more charitable and awarded the guy came across. _Right, that should be able to convince people he's a criminal - which is surely why he's doing this._

Sweets rubbed his head, he was exhausted and dirty from his tussles on the ground thru the day. _I don't care, I have to head home. It's after midnight, perhaps even bad guys need rest._

* * *

Sweets headed home dividing his time between watching the road and his rear view mirror. By the time he reached his apartment he felt at ease that the bad guys had taken the night off.

Sweets walked to his place, selecting the keys on his ring when he heard a whistle and turned suddenly only to see Trooper Dan Carter behind him. The surprise of his close proximity made Sweets wobble and fall forward, hitting his chin on the steps. The taste of blood filled Sweets mouth as he quickly turned back to the trooper who stood over him, currently not in uniformed attire.

"Whoa, careful there." The trooper said. "I'd better help you to your place, you haven't been drinking have you sir?"

"No, I'm fine, what can I help you with?" Sweets said rubbing his chin that throbbed in pain.

"That's a bad cut." The trooper said looking at it with disdain and Sweets recalled the rule - no marks to be seen.

"Accidents happen." Sweets said hoping to find out what the guy wanted at two in the morning in the dark pathway leading to his place. There used to be decorative lamps but the apartment dwellers complained the lights shone in their rooms at night while they were trying to sleep. Sweets tried to point out the dangers of not having lights, a point he couldn't point out to anyone now.

"Let me help you inside, make sure you don't have any more accidents." The trooper said pushing Sweets towards his door.

"Really, it's fine." Sweets said refusing to open his door. "What is it you want?!"

The trooper gave him a look that suggested Sweets lower his voice and Sweets felt the prod of a barrel of a gun in his side. The trooper nodded to the door and Sweets reluctantly opened it. The trooper waited for Sweets to go first who walked in backwards, keeping an eye on the trooper but the room was dark and Sweets couldn't see the trooper move in his black jacket taking a Billy club to his side, Sweets swore he heard a crack as he fell to the floor while the trooper shut the door.

"I'll keep the lights off if you don't mind." The trooper said standing over Sweets keeping a calm and even voice as though nothing violent was actually going on. The trooper waited for Sweets to stop coughing and once he did he leaned down to talk to Sweets. "Perhaps you can tell me why you were looking me up on the roster."

Sweets eyes widened with surprise though he doubted that the trooper Carter could see him anyway. _Geez how deep does this guy's infiltration go?_

"Didn't think I would find out did you?" The trooper said with his voice getting father away. Sweets could tell he was standing back up and with the growing menace in his voice Sweets figured it was to take another swipe at him. Sweets scuttled in the dark to move and sure enough the trooper's foot didn't find its target this time.

"Where did you go you little…" The trooper found a desk lamp while Sweets reached for his gun. In his exhausted state leaving the office he realized it was still in his desk.

"Ha ha, forget something kid?" The trooper laughed.

"Look, I wanted to know who you were, in case I needed to contact you, see if you were legitimate." Sweets lied.

The trooper didn't buy it. "No, that's not it. But see, I want to make sure you have a _real _clear idea of how much I don't want you digging around me." The smile on the trooper's face didn't make Sweets feel at ease as he lunged forward at him. Sweets scuttled towards the next room but the very in shape Carter caught the aching Sweets quickly. It was a brief scuttle but in seconds Sweets found his wrists in cuffs behind him. He realized perhaps the trooper's awards for capture may have been well deserved though he would have preferred to not be at the receiving end of it.

"There." Carter said turning Sweets to his back, his arms and hands being smashed by the weight of Carter who sat on top of Sweets pinning him down. Carter ripped the front of Sweets shirt open as Sweets breathing and heart rate began to go thru the roof. Carter pulled a cigar out of his pocket and lit the end of it, stoking it. Sweets was pretty sure he knew where this was going.

"Look, you've made your point." Sweets said trying to keep his breath calm and try and reason with the lunatic. "I just wanted…"

"Do you want to plead?" The trooper asked. "Sometimes they plead before they go."

Sweets felt a shiver over his body - the reality that this many had taken lives, presumably many and was completely devoid of remorse. His eyes went back to the trooper when he heard the swift opening of something sharp and saw a pocket knife in Carter's hands. Carter took a puff on the cigar as he made a single deep cut above Sweets newly fractured rib.

"Go ahead, plead, beg, music to my ears." Carter said but as Sweets kept quiet he instead dug the cherry end of the cigar over the open cut. The pain of the red hot end on the open bleeding cut made Sweets want to scream out but Carter put his hand over Sweets mouth. It was the same hand the cigar was in. Sweets heavy breathing sucked in the gross smell of the tobacco so close to him on Carter's hands and the ask falling towards him.

"Beg, not scream." Carter instructed. He took his hand away from Sweets mouth as he looked back at him.

"How many were there?" Sweets asked defiantly.

"That's not playing the way I asked." Carter said taking his knife and now making a row of shallow cuts this time. He put the cigar back in his mouth as Sweets continued to grit his teeth. Carter shook his head. "Not smart kid." Carter balled his fist and landed in Sweets side again, rocking the burning cuts and knocking another rib loose. His body tried to move away but Carter held him firmly in place.

"Ha ha, go ahead and struggle kid, I've wrestled wild life - and won."

"Alright." Sweets said lying back on the ground. "What do you want? Yes, I won't investigate you. But if you do this too much longer I can't go to work tomorrow and not solve this case for you. I'm sure like the others you've made beg, at least I have _some _leverage."

Carter stopped as though to consider what Sweets had finally found via an answer to his most current situation. Sweets decided to sweeten the offer.

"If you kill me or I suddenly collapse and can't cover it up there's going to be a lot of questions - namely in what I've been working on lately. Killing me will only multiply the amount of agents on it."

Carter thought this over, indeed it seemed to Sweets that he wasn't one of Carter's typical prey.

"Alright, but no more digging in the wrong places." Carter said and ground the cherry red butt into Sweets chest as Sweets writhed in pain at it. "If you'll see how this is only the warm up round that it is."

Before Sweets could mentally or physically recover from the painful assault, Carter flipped him onto his aching chest and took off the handcuffs which had dug into Sweets wrists deeply.

"One more thing." Carter said kicking Sweets so hard in the chest his body flipped over side up and back down again.

"You may be the lead but it doesn't mean you're not replaceable." Carter stood up and put his knife away. "You get out of line again and I'll stop picking on you and pay more attention to them. Maybe one of the girls, Camile, Angela, hell maybe I'll let you pick. Funny isn't it, you're starting to look like hell and no one's even asked what's wrong. Some friends you got kid. Oh well, works well for me."

Sweets waited for it, unable to move and sure enough there was one more swift kick, this time to his stomach as the trooper left whistling a cowboy song.

Sweets wanted to curl up and die. He laid on the floor trying to comprehend the mere notion of how much pain he was in when he heard the trooper's car leave. He wondered why it was so loud when he realized it was because the door was still open. He heard another car pull up causing Sweets to subside the pain and rush to the door closing it and locking it. Trying with all his strength to stand he looked out the peep hole and saw another car take the trooper's place, the driver continued to sit in the driver's seat.

"I've got to get out of here." Sweets said under his breath. He pushed himself away from the door but was too unsteady on his feet. He fell onto the coffee table but caught himself enough to not cause any further damage. Using every table and wall to steady himself he made his way back to his bedroom. His adrenaline running high he was able to shed his clothes quickly though with pain he tried to ignore. He grabbed a bag and quickly stuffed random clothes in it - he had no plans to come back to his apartment any time soon, the FBI office was the only secure place he knew of and he decided to stay there until this case was over.

Sweets put on a pair of pants and tee shirt for now, a suit or two in the bag he would sort thru later, whether or not it matched he didn't care. He picked up one more thing by his bed and took a deep breath as he opened the front door.

Across the walk way he saw the man watching him from the darkness of his own vehicle. Sweets walked to his car with his eyes trained on the man in the vehicle who watched Sweets closely. Carter's replacement was surely a baby sitter but Sweets wasn't taking chances. In his left hand was his overnight bag, in his right was the gun he kept at home, clearly visible to the man in the car. Sweets was done taking shit tonight.

* * *

Sweets drive back to his office was spent concentrated on the car that followed him at a distance. Once Sweets pulled into the FBI complex the car drove on, seemingly satisfied of Sweets location.

Sweets walked the sparsely lit halls on his way to the gym. Few people were there at this three a.m. hour, something Sweets had planned on. Sweets slipped into gym area, walking past the equipment and headed straight to the showers. Not until the water hit his chest did the pain return - his concentration so heavily on his venture there he blocked the rest from his mind, a trick he had often fostered in his lifetime though he often blocked out hurtful words more than burns to his chest. Sweets looked over the injuries, trying to keep himself as detached as possible. _Lance if you breakdown now, you can't put this back together. _Sweets knew himself well, if he let the damn open he may not be able to shut it for now. Against his better psychological judgment he buried every fear, impulse and pain as best he could. The drops of water from the shower felt like stabs of pain on all the injuries that littered his purpling skin.

Aware that some agents may be coming in early to work out before work Sweets left the shower, dried off and sorted thru the hastily packed bag. The dark shirt he had donned when he left had hidden the blood that seeped thru it. He soon located a first aid box in the gym and with shaky fingers was able to stop any further bleeding. Once he was pleased that none would bleed onto the white shirt, blue tie and dark gray suit he packed he took his bag and headed to his office.

Sweets vaguely recalled breakfast yesterday, nothing else since and considered what options might be available to him. He passed a couple of agents in the hall, and he wondered why they were there. _Could some of his henchmen be here as well? _Sweets wondered and suddenly lost the tiny appetite that had been building. Coffee would surely sustain him he convinced himself as he continued to his office. He sat at his desk trying to figure out what to do, which brought him back to the present, trying to figure it all out and earning nothing more than a headache for it. He was tired, exhausted having had no sleep last night, his body was hungry though his nerves would have nothing of it. So when Booth came in the door unannounced as usual it was no surprise to Sweets that he damn near jumped when he came in.

"Looking at comic books again Sweets?" Booth teased him.

"Booth, good morning." Sweets said trying to pass it off as nothing though his nerves were damn near shot. Unexpected moments were not something Sweets wanted right now.

"Hey you left me those voice mails at like eleven last night. How late did you work?" Booth asked.

"Late enough." Sweets said yawning thinking of what work he had done before his brief time at "home" last night.

"Why? You could have checked that stuff out this morning. What, didn't you want to go home last night?" Booth teased.

Sweets eyes flared for a second as the memories of last night swam in his tired and aching head. He wanted to fall on the floor and rest, tell Booth how much it all hurt and ask for help. He knew Booth would help him, right?

"Look Sweets, I know the whole romance thing hasn't been going well for you with the Daisy debacle and then the Jessica debacle." Booth said in a tone that teetered between teasing and compassion. "But you know it'll work out one day. Perhaps with someone who doesn't have a long pony tail, high voice and is employed by the Jeffersonian Institute."

Sweets shook his head in amazement, _he thinks I was up with a girl last night? Really? Perhaps Carter was right, I'm dying here and no one seems to notice. I gotta get some coffee so I can continue this charade. Maybe I should take the compliment that I'm a great actor. Lance, let's not even go there and what that means. Coffee Lance, concentrate on coffee and making it there._ He got up and walked out of this office as Booth followed. "Thank you agent Booth, perhaps I will troll the possibilities here at the FBI."

"Can't date people at work Sweets." Booth teased as they walked to the coffee maker when Booth noticed something. "Hey what's that big scratch on your chin?"

Sweets froze for a second as he touched the surface of the skin that obviously hurt to his touch. "Oh, that…uh…" With the multitude of injuries Sweets had forgotten one of the few visible ones.

"Damn Sweets, it's all purple too! What did you do?" Booth said coming closer to inspect the mark that was hidden below Sweets chin enough you could not see it at first glance.

"Oh, it's nothing." Sweets said with a quick glance to Booth backing away so he couldn't see. "Well, I mean yeah it hurts but it's so dumb, I was so tired when I left my dress shoe slipped on the step while I was yawning. I hit my chin on the step outside my place."

"Oh." Booth said thinking it sounded plausible. "You gotta be more careful." Booth warned him.

"Yeah I will." _Jesus that was close. Close? What am I saying, God this sucks. I need help so bad! Concentrate Lance, get the case done and then you can rest, it can all be over, you just need more clues or something to end this. _Sweets was beyond excited when his phone buzzed. "Ah, looks like the forensics team did find some fibers in the cab…" Sweets scrolled thru the message. "But not much else. Yuk, that's what I was fearful of."

"What's that?" Booth asked sipping his coffee, trying to nonchalantly look at Sweets phone. Sweets knew Booth was the one usually doling out info, not waiting for it.

"Well the truck was in a swamp. I was hoping enough of it was above the muck, but looks like very little was." Sweets didn't know if that helped him any or not.

"Okay, so what's next?" Booth said anxiously. Sweets knew that question was coming and sucked down more coffee to avoid answering right away.

"We need to find the identity of the other man." Sweets said taking out his phone. "I'll call Dr. Brennan."

Sweets saw that Booth had taken out his phone too. "Oh sorry Sweets, habit." Booth apologized and put his phone away. "You should make the call."

"It's fine Booth, you are married to her." Sweets headed back to his office. "Just let me know what she says." Sweets was more than happy to sit back down, his head was spinning and this got Booth out of his hair in case he involuntarily passed out in the next two seconds.

"No, Sweets you should, you're the lead on this."

"Booth being in the lead is also about knowing when not to push something that's not important." Sweets offered the best smile he could muster and headed back into his office.

* * *

Sweets was glad and half surprised when he made it back to his office. There was a file from Angela he quickly skimmed thru but the glare of the screen only made his headache worse. He sat the cup of coffee down but his head felt heavy, then he felt like he was burning up along with a feeling like he wanted to throw up. Feeling the pressure on his injured chest Sweets stood up hoping it would help but it did little to ease the sick feeling. Sweets tried to grab his chair but it moved, not in real time motion but in Sweets vision and he toppled to the floor.

Things were hazy for a moment as Sweets lay on the floor of his office trying to rest for just a moment, get his mind back together.

"Hey Sweets." Booth said coming into his office. "Sweets?" Booth asked again and Sweets realized he should have known Booth would never knock.

Sweets wondered for a second if he didn't answer if Booth would go away and he could rest but he would only start calling and then his phone would ring, giving him away with far more questions. Before Booth could say it again Sweets stood up from behind his desk.

"Hey Sweets' what's wrong?" Booth asked walking closer to him.

Sweets felt pale and flushed and awful but he pushed it aside as he continued to try and find his footing. "Nothing, I just…my pen…it rolled under the desk all the way to the back and I had a damn hard time getting it." Sweets lied and held out a pen he had picked up from his pocket as he stood up.

"You look sort of winded." Booth said and Sweets thought that sounded like concern in his voice, he was sort of glad but he had to downplay it.

"Oh, yeah, I feel so dumb, I got my head stuck. For a second I thought I was done for. Don't tell anyone." Sweets said sitting down with a much needed relief. He figured no one would question his reason of being clumsy though he really wasn't - it was just how they viewed him or so he thought. "I'd feel so stupid if anyone knew."

"Okay." Booth said sitting on the corner of Sweets desk. Sweets tried to pretend like this was normal an offered Booth a smile though his body was still screaming for a large dose of pain killers instead of dating advice.

"Oh hey, Bones called, well, she didn't call, and I was talking to her when Angela came over."

"Ross McLaughlin?" Sweets asked.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Booth asked in surprise.

"Angela sent me the file a few minutes ago, probably after she told Brennan." Sweets explained. "What are you thinking, what's a trucker and a detective doing in the middle of nowhere?"

"Is there a punch line?" Booth kidded.

"I wish that's all it were." Sweets said thinking more of his own series of unfortunate event but thought back to the case to solve. "I'd like to know what he was investigating."

"I'll get on it - if you want." Booth said. "Or would you rather me track down his car - maybe it's hidden like the truck was."

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind looking for his car I'll check out this guy." Sweets said, hoping there would be an opportunity would present itself.

"Sure thing Sweets." Booth said heading to the door. "Hey how about lunch? You look hungry."

_No, I'm famished and I could also care less. _"Yeah maybe." Sweets said offering a smile as Booth left.

Once Booth was gone Sweets decided to do a little case work, work he did not plan on sharing with anyone.

* * *

Sweets wasn't surprised when Booth walked in his office without knocking but it startled him nonetheless.

"Geez, Booth, could you knock sometimes?" Sweets said as he moved his notes to the side of the desk opposite Booth.

"Maybe I did last time you were on the floor finding a pen and you couldn't hear me." Booth joked as he came closer.

"I doubt it." Sweets answered trying to casually put his notes away. Sweets didn't want Booth to see all that he wrote down everything he had found since Booth had gone, everything he had found about the girls that Ross McLaughlin had been investigating, the people McLaughlin had talked to, all information he hadn't planned on sharing with Booth as it would mean proving the case was murder and offering more evidence.

"Hey Sweets, find anything on McLaughlin?" Booth asked.

"No, nothing." Sweets said jogging the same multiple pages he just professed didn't exist.

"Well, I found the guy's car." Booth said happily. "I have it secured. Let's go look at it."

"Why?" Sweets asked quickly, venturing outside the office walls wasn't appealing. "The forensics…"

"Sweets sometimes it's about fieldwork - come on let's go!" Booth said playfully but Sweets didn't want to be anywhere near a crime scene. But if he didn't go then maybe he would take Brennan, then Brennan could be in danger.

"Okay, uh, let's go then." Sweets said looking at his notes, he didn't want to leave them for anyone else to happen upon and locking them away in front of Booth might pose questions.

"Sweets, it will all be here when we get back." Booth assured him.

"Right, uh, I'll just take my notes." Sweets said taking his portfolio and holding it close.

"Sure, but I'd take my gun."

"Oh shoot..." Sweets said realizing he now had his gun from home in his bag and his work gun in his desk. He opted for the work gun and headed for the door.

"That's not the right thing to say when getting your gun Sweets." Booth teased but Sweets wasn't listening. He was thinking about notes, guns and psychopaths.

"Hey, mind if I drive?" Booth asked. "I mean nothing wrong with your car it's just that…"

"That's fine!" Sweets quickly agreed as he wasn't sure if his still had any blood on the seat from last night in it still, it was dark and his chest was bleeding quite a bit. "I mean, use your gas not mine, that's fine."

_Here we go, leaving the office… _

* * *

_Almost up to speed, one more chapter and one more reveal and then maybe solve the case? If Sweets can make it...  
_


	7. Chapter 7

7.

Hope you like long chapters. Heck, just hope you are still reading &amp; enjoying.

* * *

Sweets sat in the passenger seat feeling enormously tense. _What am I going to do when we get there? What if more of his cooperatives are there? Oh crap, crap crap._

"Hey there it is, up there." Booth said not making Sweets feel any less tense. "I've got forensics on the way Sweets, we're still doing this by the book."

"Yeah, yeah. Good." Sweets said, not sure what else to add, his chest started to hurt again and he wanted to scratch at the burn mark but feared it might bleed again and come thru the shirt – then he would have a lot of explaining to do.

They pulled up behind the abandoned car and exited. Booth headed straight over to the local police who had located the car. Sweets eyed the pair suspiciously, _perhaps more henchmen. _Sweets preferred to keep a distance and one hand near his gun.

Booth and the cops were talking. Sweets could somewhat hear their conversation but placed it to the back of his mind as it was largely information he had already been told by Booth about locating the car and how desolate the road was.

Sweets looked over the car which seemed to be nothing special at first glance but upon gazing in the windows Sweets noticed some notes - _now **that **could be useful in an investigation - wait, that would be helpful in **impeding **an investigation. _Sweets swallowed hard as he saw Booth glance back at him. It was hard to go against his every instinct to _solve _cases as well as the fact that here was his chance to prove himself and he had to shoot himself in the foot the whole time. _Yeah and if you don't Carter's going to start shooting your friends. But what about his other victims? Geez this is a headache- just get Carter off your case and then go back and investigate. Right when all the evidence is gone? Ugh, this hurts. _Sweets wanted to rub his chest but didn't want to draw attention to himself by doing so. What would he blame it on now, heartburn after a long car ride and wild sex - even Booth might start to suspect.

_Okay, think like Carter, he's pulls the guy over, like he did me. Ooh! He touched the handle, his prints could be on it…_

"Sweets what the hell are you doing?" Booth yelled as his approached.

_Shit! Caught! Play it off Lance. _"What? Uh nothing. I'm just looking in the window." Sweets was sure he was about to have a heart attack. _This is why you're the nice guy Lance, this isn't your game. Ugh, just play along._

"Sweets you were wiping off the car door handle! What that the hell!? Now we can't get any prints off it!" Booth seethed and looked back at the distanced law enforcement.

"No, I wasn't I was just…" Sweets voice was asking for forgiveness, he felt guilty for what he did, terrible for how he felt.

The forensics team pulled up behind them causing Booth to walk away from Sweets and see them. Sweets watched as Booth walked to the forensics team and felt his guilt melt away as Booth's trust in Sweets was letting it go. The guilt rushed back in along with the adrenaline as Sweets saw McLaughlin's notes and went to grab them but there wasn't time.

"Sweets you can't do anything by accident at crime scene okay? You know that by now." Booth was still upset and Sweets nodded along playing the sorrowful son though in ways he was still pissed - he was in pain and no one could know. Sweets watched as the forensics team collected the evidence, silently pleading that they would be done soon.

"Do you want these to go to the Jeffersonian?" Booth asked Sweets who looked at the local officers to see if they had heard the question. _If they work for Carter and tell him that evidence is going to the Jeffersonian instead of the FBI, he could be pissed. _Sweets shook his head yes. _Hope I don't pay for that one._

"We'll take the bag now and you can tow the car there." Booth suggested.

"I'll just need you to sign these sir." The tech said to Booth who looked at Sweets who had hardly said a few words except a few extra things to collect from the vehicle.

"He's the lead agent, he should sign it." Booth said.

Sweets held the pen in hand but if Carter found his name on the transfer sheet he, or someone else could be in trouble. Sweets had a very clear signature, instead he signed a messy one that couldn't be read, he hoped it would buy him time.

"Here you go sir." The tech said handing the bag of evidence to Booth. "We will get this car to the Jeffersonian soon."

Booth headed to the officers to say that the car would be towed and to say goodbye.

"I'll be in the car." Sweets said taking the evidence bag from Booth casually. He watched as Booth walked to talk to the officers to tell them the plans for the car. Sweets sat the evidence bag next to him, his heart pounding as he quickly slit open the bag with the notes from McLaughlin and slid them in his pocket as Booth approached.

* * *

At the Jeffersonian Booth walked up to Brennan to talk while Sweets took the evidence bag up to the platform. Sweets presumed that Booth was bringing Brennan up to speed. He tried to listen in as he handed over the evidence bag.

"So you found McLaughlin's car?"

"Yeah but nothing on what McLaughlin was working on before he disappeared." Booth explained.

"Wasn't that what Sweets was working on?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah, I guess he didn't get anywhere." Booth said as they joined the others on the platform.

"Hey this evidence bag is open." Hodgins said looking at it.

Sweets was waiting for the question and flashed a smile. "Oh, yeah I just opened it for you." _Will they buy it?_

"Sweets you know that isn't procedure." Cam said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot, I was just anxious to get started." Sweets lied thru his teeth hoping his boyish smile would win them over. He felt hot and flushed, lying wasn't his thing and as of lately neither were eating or sleeping - all of which was making him jittery. For a second he thought maybe Brennan noticed.

"Next time Dr. Sweets, please exercise patience." Cam warned as they emptied the bag with several fibers, a package of cigarettes, a can of soda that Sweets thought the man might have been drugged with, a wallet that was kept in the glove box. In reality Sweets had no idea if any of the items belonged in the car, he was just making an attempt to sound active in the case.

"Why is the wallet not with him?" Angela asked.

"Long car rides, guys take it out of their pocket so they don't have to sit on it the whole way." Booth explained. Sweets hoped the conversation would be over soon, he was feeling dizzy.

"Cards is still in it, some cash so this wasn't about robbery." Hodgins observed.

"I thought there were some notes." Booth said looking around. "Sweets wasn't there some papers?" Sweets felt a panic, snapping him out of his dizzy spell.

"I don't think so." Sweets said. _Drop it Booth._

"Yeah I'm sure there were." Booth said looking around.

"Do you mean these Booth?" Brennan said holding out a bag. _Yes, buy that it's those._

"Yeah, maybe." Booth said looking at the bag. "These look like insurance papers, I thought I saw like notebook papers."

Sweets was sure he was either going to throw up an empty stomach or have a heart attack, he was burning up from what he figured was the growing apprehension and possibly being found out.

"I should get back to the office!" Sweets said quickly turning to leave. "You'll call me if you find anything?" Sweets asked the squints.

"Yes of course." Cam said.

"Wait, Sweets, what are you going to walk?" Booth asked. Sweets didn't really have a plan and realized his quick exit might appear quite strange.

"Oh, I thought you might want dinner with Dr. Brennan." Sweets said thinking on his toes. "I can call a cab."

"No, Sweets that's silly. I'll take you back to the office."

_Great._

* * *

Booth looked over at Sweets who got the impression he wasn't hiding how he was feeling very well at the moment. He was trying but it was wearing him thin, literally and figuratively.

"Sweets when did you eat last?" Booth asked causing Sweets to reaffirm his fears.

"Huh? Oh this morning." Sweets lied.

Booth didn't buy it. "What did you eat?" Booth asked.

"What? Oh, uh, cereal?" Sweets answer sounded more like a question.

"Are you sure that was today or was that yesterday?" Booth interrogated, it was at least how Sweets felt the question was asked.

"I don't know Booth, I'm just, I'm sorry, and I'm just tired." Sweets said rubbing his head, anxious to return to his office where he could be alone.

"Well you need to eat and sleep Sweets, they go hand in hand to be a good agent with a sharp mind." Booth nagged.

"Thanks." Sweets said trying to be gracious, Booth was on the cusp of showing concern and while that made Sweets feel good it also meant he had to dig deeper to appear fine.

The car made a sharp turn to the right making Sweets nervous.

"Where are we going?"

"The diner. You need to eat something and then we'll go over the case." Booth said but Sweets wanted to do neither of those things. "No arguments."

Sweets shut his mouth knowing he wasn't going to win and instead spent the remainder of the trip convincing himself he was fine and that he could get thru one meal with Booth without incident.

* * *

At the diner, Booth sat in his seat while Sweets sat slowly across from him. _This is going to be harder than I thought _Sweets thought as the urge to scratch at his aching chest continued. It now hurt to breathe and Sweets decided to keep to short answers.

"It wasn't that long of a car ride to be cramped." Booth said.

_Think quick Lance. _"Must have just pulled a muscle." Sweets said setting his portfolio with his notes to the side so they could discuss the case.

"What can I get you two?" Then tentative waitress asked.

"Coffee." Sweets ordered with a second yawn, he had to be on his toes, he wasn't thinking clearly.

"Sweets it's like six at night." Booth said but quickly ordered the same. "Oh, I'll take the same and how about our usual's?"

The waitress left and Sweets busied himself by looking at a menu with words that floated around like fish in a tank. He hadn't noticed that Booth ordered until Booth took the menu from him and set it aside.

"Sweets what's keeping you up at night?" Booth asked.

_Hired thugs, crooked state troopers, bruises pain. _Sweets shrugged. "Nothing, it's just…this case." _Technically yes it is the case it just comes with a silent set of fists._

"Well it's nothing grizzly." Booth said as the waitress returned with two cups of coffee and left.

"No it's not that." Sweets said taking a sip of the hot coffee thinking of how the bodies used to bother him in the early cases. Now he was just hoping he wasn't going to be one of them.

"Is it taking the lead on the case?" Booth asked. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I thought you couldn't do this. Sweets you can do this."

Sweets felt a warm fuzzy feeling go thru his body, _Booth thinks you can do this - and you could if you could only do it the right way. How am I not going to let him down?_

"Thanks Booth." Sweets said taking another cautious sip, it was hot but he craved the caffeine, he couldn't make any more mistakes.

"I mean there's nothing about this case you can't handle." Booth kept talking and Sweets thought now Booth sounded like the psychologist. Sweets wanted to say more but he found keeping his answers short was better to keep him from passing out. Sweets was starting to feel better until Booth added, "There's nothing to beat yourself up over."

_He knows! _The heavy diner mug slipped from Sweets hand crashing on the counter spilling hot coffee on him. Sweets jumped up as most of the sparse diner patrons turned at the sound of the noise. Conscious everyone was looking at him Sweets nodded that he was fine but the liquid burned his skin. _No stupid he doesn't know, he was just saying a phrase. _Sweets could feel the liquid suctioning to his skin, Sweets did the math, the shirt was white the coffee was brown, the scars were dark, would the liquid make the fabric transparent, would the injuries be seen?

"Damn Sweets are you okay?" Booth said stepping forward at the reddening of Sweets hand from the hot liquid.

"Yeah, just give me a second okay?" Sweets said hurrying to the restroom to dry his shirt, keep his injuries hidden. If the coffee had burned his skin it was the least of his chest injuries.

Sweets was glad no one was in the bathroom as he went to the sink looking at his shirt. Luckily most of the liquid was low enough it didn't hit his chest where most of the injuries were. Sweets ran water over his hand, the burns from the java were going away but his hands were shaking. _I can't take much more of this. _Sweets thought to himself. _You have to. _He said as he calmed himself enough to button up his jacket over the stained shirt and try out a few fake smiles.

Sweets could hear Booth on the phone.

"Bones I've got to call you back." Booth said as Sweets returned to the table and sat down. He noticed Booth was staring at him with a fierce expression. Sweets looked at Booth holding his notebook as the waitress arrived with food.

"We're going to need that to go." Booth said seething with anger.

Sweets knew they weren't going to talk about this at the diner. Instead the two sat looking at each other. In normal circumstances Sweets would have started begging for a chance to explain but he didn't bother because there was no explanation he could offer.

Sweets carried his box of hot food much in the same way Booth carried his – with great disinterest. The car ride back to the FBI building was a quiet one where Sweets ran several scenarios of what Booth would say and how he would answer. He would tell him that he wanted to get a clear profile first - he didn't _intend_ to lie, he'd just been so tired from the case, he would be sorry and offer to move on. He would have started the conversation in the car but he thought Booth might still need some time to simmer down so he sat silently plotting out his responses. The icy mood had done little to settle his nerves and overall ill feeling.

They got back into the building. "Your office." Booth said with gritted teeth. Sweets didn't like the tone- he had been a kid getting a beating, hell, lately he had been an adult getting a beating and he was getting more than a little tired of it. Maybe he would tell Booth a thing or two…

As soon as they got to Sweets office Booth slammed the door shut and turned to face Sweets but before he said anything he shoved his hand into Sweets inner chest coat pocket and pulled out folded papers. Sweets hadn't expected that and rubbed his chest at the pressure against his injuries but Booth only saw the pages he unfolded.

"Dammit Sweets!" Booth shouted as he held McLaughlin's papers in his hand, the missing evidence pages. "Stolen evidence? Tampering with evidence? Trying to push the case off on suicides? LYING to your partner, your friend about not finding out anything?!" Booth's voice raged with anger as he shouted, each word reaching a greater disappointment and fury inside that boiled over while each accusation, though true, hit Sweets like a blazing hot knife. He couldn't however find words to explain why he did what he had done.

"What's it been eight years Sweets? And you just…what the hell were you thinking?" Booth shouted but Sweets only bit his lip as his eyes searched Booth's face. _I want to tell you **so bad **Booth but I can't, and of course you don't understand and I can't explain._

Sweets continued silence only infuriated Booth more who continued his rampage. "For a smart guy Sweets you're damn stupid. This can and **will **end your career - I can't trust a guy who helps the bad guy. I mean, this isn't all an accident is it?"

Finally Sweets shook his head no. _Well that wasn't part of the plan, do I still keep quiet if I'm getting fired, I'm betting so or I'll be back in Carter's hands, even if I told them now I've got no evidence to arrest Carter on, I destroyed it._

"Then tell me Sweets, please give me an explanation on why the hell you would throw away all the trust I had built in you!" Booth continued to shout while Sweets only stood frozen in place. He couldn't think of a lie to cover the lie. He wondered if it was the heat of moment that was making him burn up or if it was the growing ache. _Just stand here and take it Lance, maybe it will be over soon, let him finish. Just one moment more._

"That's all you have to say to me? You're not even going to tell me why you lied to me? You're going to throw this all away without any explanation?" Booth continued to shout but nothing made Sweets speak or even give his face an expression.

"You son of a bitch." Booth said at Sweets demeanor as he walked to the door. "To think I trusted you – that was the biggest mistake I ever made."

As the door slammed shut Sweets wanted to collapse in on himself. He wanted to cry or hit something but he hadn't the physical strength for either. He couldn't begin to think of a way out of this on top of everything else. By morning he'd be fired, he couldn't fault Booth for that though maybe if it were Booth he wouldn't have jumped to that conclusion. _You haven't given him much else to go on Lance – right just 8 years of loyalty like he pointed out. Oh forget it. _Sweets was too tired to think and if Carter showed up right now to take him out he hardly cared if Carter was successful.

Sweets looked down at his shirt, the one he spent most of his time staring at while Booth yelled. The smell of coffee he now associated with anger and though he knew it would pass he wanted the stained shirt off. He slipped his jacket off and tossed it on the floor. He picked up his bag, an item that weighed now more than a few pounds but the weight made his chest ache. He found another tee and some casual pants he brought, even in his hastily packing last night he knew he had no plans to go home tonight. He shook his head at his sad state of affairs as he slipped his stained dress shirt off slowly. Sweets threw it on top of the dress jacket, _probably won't need suits after tomorrow, geez, who will hire me? Ugh, it hurts. _

Sweets tried to ignore the pain as he reached down for his tee shirt when his door flew open. He hadn't expected anyone to come in and jumped back, kept on his feet by the fact that his desk was behind him. The position however left his chest fully exposed to the eyesight of Booth whose expression had severely changed from before.

Sweets saw Booth's eyes scan his chest, cataloging the injuries. Sweets grabbed for his tee shirt as Booth began approaching him. "Sweets!" Booth said but Sweets tried to back away from him on instinct but ran into his own desk and slipped to the floor.

"Booth, no, it's nothing. You're right, I was wrong to…" Sweets tried to stop Booth by getting up but he couldn't get up on his own accord.

"Sweets!" Booth said stopping him and crouching next to him. Sweets held the tee shirt close to his chest with his arms crossed over it defensively but Booth could still see the nauseatingly dark bruises on the skin up to the neckline – everywhere covered by a shirt. His body was laced with circles of burns and more bruises and even a few cuts. Booth then saw the darker red circle on Sweets neck, hidden by the collar of his shirt but made Booth knew by a stun gun.

"Sweets what the hell is going on here?" Booth asked still in complete shock, it almost seemed like make up to him because Sweets hadn't shown any signs of the pain this surely must have caused. "How does this not hurt?"

"It does." Sweets was partially glad someone knew, he felt a weight lifted but at the same time he knew this would only be worse. Still one thing weighed heavily on his mind even more than the pain. "I didn't want to lie to you." Sweets stoic and apathetic gaze began to break as his eyes grew red and his breathing increased. "I had to."

"This….this has something to do with the…." Sweets watched as the near visible gears were turning in Booth's mind, putting everything together.

"I'm sorry." Sweets tried to collect himself and put on an indifferent face but it was hard to do as he couldn't even get his shirt over his head. He was anxious to do so in order to keep Booth from looking at the injuries more. He could see Booth still wanted answers, not that he didn't blame him. "It's not…I can't…"

"Sweets you can't even get your shirt on." Booth said helping him. "And you're going to tell me what's going on." Booth's tone was like the dinner invitation, one not to be denied. "And I think you'd better start from the beginning."

"I'm sorry Booth, I can't." Sweets said.

"Yes, Sweets you can." Booth sighed. "I'm sorry Sweets, I'm so sorry. I was angry and I was wrong to say I couldn't trust you. I've given you a hard time but…but you're really one of the few people I really do trust. Don't deny me the same."

"It's not that I don't want to Booth." Sweets said as things got bleary again. "I can't."

Booth sighed and for a moment Sweets thought he won and wondered how.

"Okay, if you don't tell me fine, but we're going to the hospital." Booth slipped his arm behind Sweets back to help him stand up but Sweets pushed him away only causing himself more pain.

"What the hell Sweets, you're obviously in pain!" Booth shouted. "You've got broken ribs over there, you've got some nasty bad ass burns there, I saw some minor cuts and I can…Jesus Sweets I can see blood coming out on your shirt now!"

Booth pulled his handkerchief out but Sweets weakly blocked his hand from coming closer. Booth's eyes searched Sweets worn and sad dark brown eyes for an explanation. Sweets took the folded handkerchief from him and held it silently over the bleeding spot.

Booth looked at the young man crumpled up on the floor and couldn't take the sight anymore. He pulled on Sweets who tried to push away.

"Booth, it's not that I don't want to go – I **can't **go." Sweets said causing Booth to stop.

"Yeah you can. And you are because I'm pretty sure I can carry you out of here without much effort." Booth said. "Unless you want to start at the beginning of this whole thing. Those are you choices."

Sweets looked at Booth, searching for some sort of sign or something to tell him what to do. Booth hoped he would give in, he couldn't grasp what would cause this and it scared the crap out of Booth to know whatever it was, whoever it was could do this to Sweets without his knowing.

Sweets started to shake his head but he knew Booth would hold steady to his promise and drag Sweets out of here if he had to.

"You can't tell anyone." Sweets said.

"I don't know if I can promise that." Booth said but he realized how serious Sweets was about this, as if the bleeding and broken body weren't enough of an indicator. "But I can try, yes, just, what is going on Sweets?"

Sweets sat up but didn't get up from the floor. Booth couldn't stand to see him so uncomfortable and helped him to the couch though the road to it was laced with winces and muffled noises from Sweets. Booth didn't go far once Sweets was sitting.

"I was on my way to the case." Sweets began and recounted the story from the beginning when Carter, whose name Sweets did not give, pulled him from his car up until Booth barging in his office. Booth listened and while he wanted to interrupt time and again he was too glad that Sweets was telling him and he remained silent. Booth listened as Sweets would say "they found him" and Booth knew that was when Sweets got another one of these beatings. Booth doubted his teeth had many grooves as he ground his teeth as the story continued. Booth knew, though Sweets only gave the facts that in between these 'breaks in the case' or his attempts to cover it up that it was lined with Sweets not eating, not sleeping, in pain and completely and utterly alone.

"And then we came back here." Sweets said finishing his side of the story. He looked at Booth who ran his hand thru his hair. Booth's nerves were still flaring so he stood up and circled the couch.

"Now you know Booth. I hope you'll understand why I did what I did."

"Sweets you should never have gone thru that alone." Booth said but hadn't intended it to sound like he was disapproving of Sweets. "But you did a very honorable thing. You put other people before you and that's what being a lead is really all about."

Sweets felt slightly relieved though he was pretty sure he was starting to sweat. _Why, I'm just sitting here?_

"But we're not going to lose you with you trying to keep everyone else safe." Booth said. "We need a plan."

Sweets nodded. He was certainly open to plans, he was too tired to think of plans.

"This guy, you didn't give a name, time to be truthful Sweets for the right reasons, do you know his name?" Sweets opened his eyes to see Booth was asking him at a close distance, certainly an interrogation technique.

"I can't Booth." Sweets said not wanting to lie again. _Why does Booth have a twin? Oh, this isn't good._ "Booth, I need to rest. It's hot and I'm tired."

"Whoa, Sweets, hey, how many fingers am I holding up?" Booth said but Sweets didn't see any fingers, specifically he couldn't see much of anything but large blurs.

"Two, there's always two." Sweets speech was getting slurred.

"Crap Sweets, you're burning up." Booth said as Sweets began to list hard to starboard on the couch. "That's it, you're going to the hospital."

"NO!" Sweets said sitting up too quickly that he nearly fell to the floor at the strong pang of pain that shot thru his ribs.

"Whoa, slow down."

"No! No." Sweets said trying to control himself but things were getting less and less clear. "No, I can't be seen leaving here, Carter will know."

"Carter?" Booth said nearly under his breath. "State Trooper."

"Oh crap." Sweets said realizing he had slipped, until his hand slipped off the coffee table and he fell to the floor. Only this time he didn't feel pain, it was hot and dizzy as he floated away with the sound of Booth saying his name as he left.

* * *

_I noticed a couple of people mentioned time when the chapters post. It's 10:30here. It could of course be random glitches from Fan Fiction but I was curious - where is everyone from that's reading?_


	8. Chapter 8

8.

**Sweets comes clean to Booth but passes out.**

* * *

Booth checked for Sweets heart rate which was fine though the pale young man did not appear to be worthy of the same description. Booth pulled the thin but lanky figure of Sweets back onto the couch, one generally reserved for patients. _Patients, should I take Sweets to the hospital? Is he just paranoid? No, these bruises are more than paranoia. _Booth looked at Sweets who was getting much needed rest - as long as that was all that it was.

Booth pulled up Sweets shirt to see his chest and to try and stop the bleeding that had started again. Booth located the cut, one that was deeper than the rest and was in need of stitches to cause it to stop bleeding. As Booth looked closer he saw the singed edges and realized the bastard, Carter had ground something hot over the cut. Booth let the shirt fall as he backed up. Booth put his hand over his mouth to muffle his own desire to shout a series of expletives. His people, this was done to one of his people, right under his own nose, or was he one of Sweets people if this was his lead. _Screw it! It doesn't matter, no one does this to anyone and that bastard will pay. But now, here and now what do I do?_

Booth looked at his phone, _how close is this guy monitoring? _He put the phone back away and walked back over to Sweets who was beginning to stir. _That wasn't a long rest_ he thought as he sat Sweets up only to be met with tired, red eyes.

"Sweets, how close does this guy Carter watch?" Booth asked.

"I don't know." Sweets said, his mouth dry. "He just always seems to be there. I did some research on him and he knew."

"He's a trooper right, they do get alerts so they can be careful." Booth said thinking mostly to himself. "He may not be monitoring cell phones, Sweets, do you think he's tapped into your phones?"

"I don't know." Sweets said almost falling back asleep. "I haven't tried."

Though Sweets was simply answering the question Booth couldn't help but feel a stab of disappointment that Sweets had gone thru so much of this alone. Still, he had to do something. Sweets had told him of the dangers - not only to himself but Carter's promise to go into the group. _The only way we can do this is together. To do this together I need Sweets to be looked at. Maybe I can get Brenan here. But can I trust other FBI agents?_

Booth soon found himself in the mind bending predicament Sweets must have found himself caught in. Booth thought of a plan, it was risky, but he hoped it would work. He would need some help getting it done. He took a deep breath and took out his phone.

"Bones, yeah, are you at the lab still? Just heading home? Can you stay a little longer? Great, can you see if the others can too? I've got some news on the case. Okay, see you soon." Booth didn't want to take chances and kept the phone call to a minimum.

"Sweets, hey, we need to, can you stand up?" Booth asked.

"Where are we going?" Sweets asked slurring.

"We need to get you looked at." Booth said sitting Sweets up, he was even hot to the touch and it worried Booth.

"No, no hospitals - if I get checked in Carter will know, even an assumed name." Sweets protested.

"I know, we're not going there." Booth assured him. Sweets felt relieved but also slightly bummed, in his confused state he knew he needed help.

"We're going to see Bones." Booth explained.

"Here?" Sweets asked. "But there…"

"Lance!" Booth nearly shouted and Sweets stopped. "I know you're nervous, you have reason to be. Just trust me okay? I have an idea."

"Okay Booth, I trust you."

"Good, now stand up and put your hands behind your back."

* * *

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Sweets asked standing near the door with an orange scrub top over his shirt and orange pants over his other pants. The excitement of the new plan gave Sweets a rush of energy that was now fading away again.

"I hope so." Booth said putting the cuffs on Sweets. "Now stand still while I put this wig on."

As the pair left the area they took on the persona of 'caught criminal' and agent. Booth moved swiftly hoping to not have anyone stop them - knowing that if anyone looked closely they would recognize Sweets who was keeping his head down under the unruly wig. As they got outside Booth tugged at Sweets like he would a criminal but remembered that Sweets was rather injured. He couldn't stop the act by the time he got the door of his SUV but it bothered him.

"It's okay Booth I'd rather you push me around than someone else."

"Just get in Sweets." Booth said silently but kept a gruff exterior while he did it.

Once they were in the car Booth looked around, sure that one of the cars had someone in it, watching.

"We've got company." Booth said looking down. "I'll need to lose him."

"K." Sweets said resting his head back.

"You okay?" Booth asked looking back at Sweets who sat exhausted with his arms uncomfortably cuffed behind him. He couldn't be seen uncuffing them with the guy watching them.

"Yeah fine, the walk was just a really long one." Sweets said his speech slurring again as he looked to be drifting back to sleep.

Booth wanted to say he was nuts but he knew Sweets must have been exhausted in this state. "Just hang on Sweets, we're going, just going to lose this guy first."

The drive between the Hoover building and Jeffersonian wasn't far but the pair were in the car for a long time while Booth tried to elude the car that was following them. The darkness of the night kept Sweets mostly in the dark with Booth concentrating on the car behind him. With Booth driving he didn't want to draw too much attention to himself but as the time passed he knew he couldn't keep up with this game forever.

"Ugh, this isn't working, this guy is pretty good." Booth said out loud while keeping an eye on his rear view mirror. Only silence came from the back seat.

"Sweets?" Booth asked again but the back seat was shrouded in silence. At the next stop light Booth tried to casually look back to see partially see Sweets in the glow of the street lamps. He was slanted to the side of the door and looked as uncomfortable as hell. What caught Booth's attention was the fact that Sweets was breathing against the window creating a light fog – but the pauses between were long creating an increasingly faint fog on the window. The return of blood now onto the orange top did little to calm his increasingly frazzled nerves.

Booth looked forward again as the light turned. He pulled out his phone.

"Hey Bones, can you meet me some place?" Booth asked trying to sound calm and even. "Yeah it's taking me longer than I planned to get there. I just need to drop you something first. Meet me at Delaware and 5th – between the narrow paths of the buildings. I'll explain later, yeah, see you in ten."

Booth felt like even ten minutes was going to be forever. A few more turns did little to deter his follower and much longer and it would be obvious what he was doing. Booth headed towards the local police station at Delaware and 5th hoping that the location may either make the follower think he was dropping his "criminal" off or get scared off being around cops. Neither seemed to deter him as they grew closer and Booth circled the block. Booth changed lanes quickly earning a blaring car horn from the car in that lane but it cut off the ability for the car to follow him. Booth turned sharply again and pulled down the narrow alley behind the police station where Brennan was waiting.

Booth quickly got out which made Brennan do the same.

"Booth what's going on, what do you have for me?" Brennan asked as Booth opened the side door pulling Sweets out. Booth discarded the wig as he put Sweets arm around his but soon found himself supporting nearly all of Sweets weight.

"You brought me a criminal?" Brennan said looking at the orange suit but not seeing Sweets face.

"Open your trunk." Booth requested but Brennan only stared at him until he turned Sweets towards her so she could see who it was.

Brennan's generally tempered face grew confused quickly. "It didn't look like Sweets – Booth he looks terrible. And he's bleeding!" She said rushing forward.

"Yeah, that's what I need your help with and I can't explain a lot right now." Booth said heading to her car and waiting at the trunk while Brennan opened the car door and stood confused.

"Bones it's a lot to explain but we need to move fast before this guy finds us. Sweets is in trouble, sort of. Just, right now I need him out of sight and I need you to make sure he's alright. We can't go to a hospital and no one can know you have him so you need to keep it quiet okay?"

Brennan tried to swallow the urge to ask a slew of questions and just go with trusting her husband and friend. "Okay." Brennan opened the trunk and helped Booth to lower the tall figure gently in the trunk.

"Okay, I'll meet you there soon." Booth said to the sound of a car.

Brennan could sense the urgency and the secrecy they were working under and quickly went to back to her car and left.

_Why is Sweets in an orange jump suit? Is this why he was acting so weird lately? How will I keep this quiet? I don't think there are many people at the Jeffersonian tonight, I think I can get him inside. Booth must have figured he could hand Sweets off to me and I could get him inside if whoever is still following him – then I should drive more quickly._

Brennan arrived at the Jeffersonian filled with her many thoughts but only one occurred when she got there, hoping Sweets was still okay in the trunk. _He seemed to be sleeping _Brennan thought as she pulled to her reserved spot near the door. She couldn't help but look around while she went to the trunk of the car.

She opened the trunk to find that Sweets was awake and quite terrified as the lid opened. He jumped back in the tiny space as he tried to make out the face he was seeing. Brennan's heart felt a stab at the sight with an added guilt that perhaps she hadn't left him for so long despite her lack of options.

"Sweets it's okay it's me, its Bones." She said softly while touching his arm.

"Dr. Brennan?" Sweets asked weakly. "Where's…"

"Booth dropped you with me. I'm sorry but this was the only way to conceal that you were with me should anyone have followed me which I don't believe they have." Brennan gave Sweets a squeeze on his arm but noticed he only tensed instead of relaxed under her touch. "He said to come here, do you need help out, and I see that your chest is bleeding, are you hurt?"

Sweets realized that Brennan did not know much and didn't know all of Booth's plan just yet, he was just trusting whatever it was.

"Yeah." Sweets said sticking his feet out of the trunk but Brennan was shocked to see he could hardly push himself up and out of the space. She stepped forward to place an arm around his chest for help but he jumped back.

"Sweets, why are you acting so strangely?" Brennan asked with hurt feelings.

"I'm sorry Dr. Brennan it's just…" Sweets had no idea what lie to use.

"Oh yes your cut here." Brennan said touching it but Sweets could only suck in air under her touch. The cramped space and growing apprehension he had felt having woken up in the truck of car, not recalling getting there for when Booth &amp; Brennan moved him he was mostly out of it was taking a toll. Brennan could tell this about far more than one cut. Combined with the secrecy Booth was eluding to she was anxious to get inside.

"Come on let's go inside Sweets." Brennan said taking a few too quick of moves in which Sweets couldn't keep up causing him to fall forward but catching himself on the side of another car. Brennan silently gasped but said nothing and instead only closed her truck quickly and more gently this time pulled Sweets towards her taking on much of his weight, which hardly seemed like much for his too lean at the moment figure.

The Jeffersonian was largely empty at this hour with the few people who worked till seven or so tucked in their offices doing their own research. Once they were in the doors Brennan quickly located a wheelchair used for people who wished to visit but were unable to walk. She quickly plopped Sweets in the seat and noted his reaction at doing so based on his trembling hand and hunched over figure. She wanted to ask if he was okay but she didn't feel she would get a straight answer. Instead she used the wheeled chair as a way to get Sweets back to her area much quicker than the slow pace at which he walked.

"Dr. B, I was wondering where you went so quickly." Hodgins said looking up from his file folder to see her approaching him. "I have some more findings…"

"Dr. Hodgins is anyone else in the lab right now?" Brennan asked short of breath. Hodgins quickly took note of her slightly detached demeanor.

"No, Ange went home with our kids and Cam went for a bite to eat. I didn't get all the details of what we were waiting on." Hodgins explained.

"It's here." Brennan said walking away causing Hodgins to follow her around a corner which revealed the figure in the wheelchair that was slumped over.

"What's…" Hodgins said as a pale faced Sweets raised his head. Once he saw Hodgins he looked away. "Sweets?" Hodgins asked in disbelief.

"Please help me get him to the platform." Brennan said as even tempered as she could. She was trying to concentrate on the basics and not the growing concern and mounting pile of questions she had.

"What the hell happened?" Hodgins asked now standing by Sweets who tried without success to get up on his own. He had wanted to show he could but he could barely focus on keeping his arm on the arm rest.

"I do not know all of the details. Booth said that he would explain once he got her." Brennan explained. "I do need to stress that we need to work in secret for right now, for Sweets sake."

Hodgins didn't know what was going on but based on the way Sweets looked he wanted to heed whatever warnings he was issued. He nodded as the two helped the reluctant but powerless Sweets to the platform and sat him on the examination table. Sweets arm pulled away from the table at the cold touch.

"Sorry Sweets, it's not usually for you know, living people." Hodgins said looking around and found a thick gauze material and laid it on the table. "Maybe you could lay back?"

Hodgins was trying to sound as casual and caring as possible but he could sense Sweets tension. Finally Sweets seemed to accept the offer and pulled his feet up from over the edge of the table on to it. It wasn't as cold now with the material on it but it was difficult to ease back onto the surface with his sore body. Brennan noticed and helped to ease him back. Hodgins noticed Sweets trying to fight back possible tears and wondered what was plaguing the young man he had never seen this awful before. He looked across at Brennan who shared the same concerned look.

"This is weird, to have Sweets, on this table, I mean he's alive so that's…." Hodgins was stumbling over his jumbled thoughts.

"Dr. Hodgins let's concentrate on our work." Brennan suggested and Hodgins realized Sweets was listening and he wasn't really helping any.

"Right, right." Hodgins said and noticed the blood on the shirt. "There's a cut here." Hodgins tried to pull back the material but the attempt to get it off seemed to cause Sweets some pain.

"Perhaps you can locate a blanket." Dr. Brennan suggested seeing Sweets shiver. She wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the illness. Hodgins nodded and left for Angela's office where he seemed to know one was.

Brennan looked down at Sweets and found herself angry – angry at seeing him in the orange criminal associated attire. That wasn't her Sweets so she quickly picked up a pair of scissors and cut the pants on each side discovering another pair of pants under them. _This must have been a disguise for something _Brennan thought to herself as she moved to cut the shirt up the middle and down the sleeves. As she went to pull it off Sweets took her hand stopping her. Their eyes met, her inquisitive aqua orbs to his tired and desolate brown ones. He read her expression which only wanted to offer help and he relented letting her hand go but looked the other way as she pulled the shirt away to reveal the white tee under it with more blood. Brennan cut this shirt as well as to not disturb Sweets who continued to look away and then close his eyes once his chest was exposed. He could hear the scissors Brennan was holding hit the ground and a gasp escape her lips.

"What the…" He could hear Hodgins say upon his return. "My God there are burns and cuts…are these ribs broken?"

"I believe so." Brennan said and though Sweets eyes were still closed he could tell she had tears in her throat, he felt guilty –guilty he had failed to keep this from then and thus possibly bring it up them.

Brennan took the blanket from Hodgins and laid it over Sweets twitching figure. He welcomed the warmth and partial cover of the blanket. His chest was still exposed so he tried to pull the blanket up but he could feel a hand stop him. He hoped his eyes to see Hodgins was pushing Sweets' hand back down.

"We need to take care of this first." Hodgins said softly and Sweets closed his eyes again.

"Lift your head up man, I uh, I found this pillow in Angela's office." Hodgins said as Sweets lifted what seemed to be a very heavy head. "It's soft, it's one of her favorites."

"I shouldn't' get this dirty." Sweets said pushing the blanket away.

"It's fine." Brennan said pulling it back up. "I'm sure we won't and I'm sure even if we did Angela would be more than understanding."

"Yeah she would." Hodgins said backing her up as his gaze was caught on the deep cut with a strange pattern over it. "My God, is this a burn over this cut?"

Brennan came to his side to see it. "I believe this is infected as well." She looked at Sweets to ask him if he had treated it but based on his overall demeanor and actions she was going to assume, though she didn't like to assume, that it was a "no."

"We need to clean this as well as address these broken bones." Brennan said getting to work.

Hodgins shook his head.

"What is it Dr. Hodgins, I thought you were versed in basic first aid." Brennan commented.

"It's just…" Words escaped proper formation for Hodgins.

"I know Dr. Hodgins. I agree." Brennan said getting to work when Cam came in seeing a sight that made her dinner hit the ground.

"Dr. Soroyan we could use your help." Brennan said.

"Is this…" Cam said quickly coming over to the table.

"Yes, Dr. Sweets has…befallen a series of injuries." Brennan said. "We do not have all the details." Brennan gave her a look that read 'not now'. And instead Cam put on a pair of rubber gloves.

"He's extremely hot to the touch, have you taken a temperature?" She asked.

"No I have not, but he does have an infection over this wound." Brennan said pointing to it. Hodgins was removing some black material around it.

"Dr. Hodgins what are you doing?" Cam asked.

"I'm removing what smells like ash, in case we need this later." Hodgins explained setting the evidence aside.

"No evidence." Sweets murmured.

The trio looked at each other in surprise.

"I'm so sorry." Sweets said again as his face filled with anguish.

"Don't worry Dr. Sweets. We are going to figure this out, whatever it is." Brennan said causing him to calm and nearly pass out again. Cam pulled Brennan aside.

"Why is Dr. Sweets here and not at a hospital, he is clearly very ill, his temperature is 101." Cam said somewhat silently.

"I don't know exactly Cam, Booth said we couldn't go to a hospital and if he has reasons I'll have to believe they are good ones." Brennan explained.

"I just don't know if we are the best solution for this." Cam said worried at their 'not a hospital' set up.

"Cam we catch serial killers with very little evidence, we can help Sweets." Hodgins reminded her. "Especially when he really needs it."

Booth approached the platform looking tired and nodded. "He really needs it."

* * *

_Here it's 11:30 again, p.m. that is.  
_


	9. Chapter 9

9.

**Booth gets Sweets to Brennan who brings him to the Jeffersonian. She &amp; Hodgins, later Cam dress Sweets injuries when Booth arrives.**

_Yeah, I don't know what it is but it's just fun to beat up your favorite character._

* * *

"I'm glad you're here." Brennan said softly seeing that Sweets had fallen asleep, most likely from exhaustion. "Perhaps you can bring us up to speed."

Twenty minutes later the rest of them had the facts that Booth had though still without any particulars of Sweets injuries except that Carter and his cronies were to blame.

"So let's go get this Carter guy and run him thru the ringer." Hodgins demanded. "You can arrest him right?"

"Yeah, but he's got a network of assholes out there doing his bidding." Booth reminded him. "Whatever this guy is running he can still do it from behind bars with the network he has set up."

"And that would leave Sweets very unsafe." Brennan vocalized the realization to make sure Hodgins understood.

Hodgins looked back at Sweets who was sleeping, Cam followed his gaze. While neither were nearly as close to the young psychologist as Booth or Brennan had grown to be they had a fondness for the man who had help them so much in the past and withstood so much in the recent days.

"We need to do something." Hodgins said taking his gaze from Sweets.

"I agree." Cam said nodding quickly. "Those are some nasty bruises and burns - and if they were just warnings, well, I don't even want to think about anything more happening to him."

"We you able to lose the guy who was following you?" Brennan asked Booth.

"I think so." Booth said not totally convinced. "I pulled up to the police station and he pulled away. I don't know though if they were able to get into the system and see what I was doing there - or not doing there."

"We need to see what these guys are up to." Cam deduced.

"But if we look into - they know we are looking into it." Hodgins said rubbing his head. "Feel like we've got Pelant on our backs again."

"I don't know how many people this guy has working for him." Booth warned them. "It could be people here too."

Cam felt slightly defensive about her staff being implicated but she knew that Booth could be right.

"Sweets shouldn't be too mobile, we should hide him here." Brennan said feeling that was the safest.

"Yeah until this Carter guy realizes that Sweets is hiding out and thinks something is up." Hodgins said. "I doubt Sweets wants to live here forever."

"Especially with such uncomfortable beds." Sweets said joining them with the blanket wrapped around his top as he had no shirt.

"Sweets you should be lying down." Cam said wanting to help the young man into the chair next to them but refrained.

"No, I should be working on this case." Sweets said. "It's the only way."

"Right, and I have an idea." Booth said with all eager to hear.

"The only way we get this guy off Sweets back is to close the case." Booth said earning dropped jaws from each of them.

"That is highly unethical." Brennan reminded him.

"So is letting Sweets die." Hodgins said with a reverence that made Sweets smile slightly inside.

"Just hear me out." Booth asked of them. "Sweets closes the case based on a lack of evidence. That doesn't mean that it can't be reopened. If Carter is then off his back we can continue to investigate this case without the fear of Sweets being attacked again."

"Right, because if it's in the system, Carter will believe it." Hodgins thought of it being put together.

"Yeah, but how will we continue to work on the case?" Brennan asked. "Budgets being how they are we will have to account for our time. If it's being spent on a closed case it will have to be deemed reopened. Unless we work on it on our own time."

"I'm game." Hodgins said.

"Me too." Cam agreed.

"Guys, you have families." Sweets said. "I can't let…"

"You die?" Brennan asked with watery aqua eyes.

Cam stepped in. "I propose we continue to work on the case in near secrecy. We will rename the files something else but all findings should be handwritten - put nothing in the computer right now. When we figure out what Carter is up to we can publish the findings. If the brass here or at the FBI wants to know we will be able to explain the situation we were in and we should be forgiven so to speak."

"Will that work?" Hodgins asked.

"Yes." Cam said hoping she was right. She felt she was right. She doubted that the Jeffersonian were going to let go their brightest staff members in light of extreme circumstances.

"So we will continue to work on the bodies in the case?" Brennan asked.

"Yes and Sweets and I will continue to work the case by trying to figure out what Carter is up to." Booth said and smiled at Sweets. "It's pretty much what you wanted to do, but this time you have all of us helping."

Sweets nodded, it was what he wanted to do but he hadn't been able to get it past them, something he should have known.

"Booth, I'll close the case officially but I think from here you should lead the case. I think it's pretty obvious I'm not up to it." Sweets felt exhausted.

"I think if we've seen _anything _Sweets is that you are up to it." Booth retorted. "This is a radical circumstance for a first case."

"I agree, the methods seemed strange before I knew the circumstances." Cam agreed. "But that's what we do, we work in the conditions we have to. We've done it before - whatever it takes to get the case solved - and keep _everyone _safe." Cam stared at Sweets a moment to get that she was talking to him.

"Alright, well then on this one, I'd like some help." Sweets said. "Perhaps we can do this one together."

Booth smiled. "Okay, that's a deal."

"Alright so, what is next?" Brennan asked eager to work.

"Well it's eight at night." Cam reminded her. "I think we should all get some rest."

"I'll close the case first thing in the morning." Sweets said. "I'll cite lack of evidence because at this time we don't have any. Thanks to me." Sweets still felt angry at himself for erasing the prints.

"We still have the bodies and McLaughlin's notes in the car." Booth reminded him. "What did you get from those?"

"McLaughlin appeared to have been investigating a missing person, Tallie Roberts." Sweets explained. "I gathered that McLaughlin was hired by her parents. She ran away from home two years ago and she must have kept some sort of communication because they had some record of her whereabouts. Then they dropped off and that's when they hired McLaughlin."

"What had he found?" Hodgins asked.

"He had tracked down to this area working at a trucker's diner." Sweets said.

"Again with the trucking industry." Cam said. "What about the other body, do you think he had something to do with it?"

"In all the notes it didn't seem that McLaughlin suspected Carl Sager, the other victim of being involved." Sweets explained.

"But he must be involved in some way - they were found together." Cam deduced.

"When Carter got me, the first time…" Sweets mind flashed to one of his less than pleasant encounters with the psycho. "He said that one of this people screwed up in disposing of the bodies."

"So the fact they were together was part of a bad body drop." Cam said.

"Which also means that Carter has killed people for multiple reasons." Brennan added.

"I believe Carter has killed several people." Sweets added. "No one's stopped him."

"Well we sure as hell are now." Booth said. "This guy may have been able to build on his little team of people but we need to take down the whole thing."

"If he has _this _many people _this _involved? Then he's in something pretty big." Cam warned him.

"He's using his state trooper status to his advantage." Hodgins said. "What a crappy abuse of authority."

"State troopers often pull truckers over to check their loads for illegal immigrants, drugs…" Brennan reminded them.

"That could have been what happened to Sager." Hodgins suggested. "Carter pulled him over and killed him."

"But what was his motive?" Cam asked. "And what about McLaughlin?"

"Perhaps they didn't cooperate with what he was asking of them, tried to escape of something?" Hodgins suggested.

"My guy tells me it's something more than that." Booth said.

"Which could suggest one of two things - either the two he asked to dispose of the bodies were inept at the task OR they weren't used to it." Sweets said.

"You said though that Carter has killed people." Cam said.

"Yes, I think he has - but for what?" Sweets said thinking. "The car that McLaughlin drove was a junker - he used a cheap and old car to put a bunch of miles on it. From the insurance papers in the dash he's also insured 2014 Durango - which wouldn't get the gas mileage that one does for long trips like the one he was on. Nothing was missing from Sager's truck so unless he was running drugs or something - neither of them had something of value."

"So Carter's not pulling people over to rob and kill them." Booth agreed. "If he did he wouldn't be making much, few people carry much with them."

"But pretty much everyone would pull over for a state trooper." Hodgins said. "It's how he gets them to stop."

Sweets nodded, he knew that all too well. "He subdues them with a stun gun."

It took them a second to realize why Sweets knew that.

"So we know why he pulled you over." Cam said to Sweets. "Why everyone else?"

"That's what we need to know." Booth surmised.

"And that will have to wait until morning." Hodgins said looking at the time. "Hey, how do we get Sweets out of here?"

"We don't. " Booth said. "I think until we can get the paperwork signed off on then it is the safest place."

"Except we don't have security at night, not the kind you might need if Carter thinks he's here." Cam interjected.

"I'll stay." Booth added.

"That will only arouse suspicion on Carter's part." Hodgins reminded him. Sweets was trying to get a word in but was so far unsuccessful.

"He can go home with us." Brennan suggested.

"That will only bring more suspicion." Cam added quickly.

"I should go to the FBI building." Sweets said. "It's the most secure and I was planning to stay there tonight anyway - one of them saw me pack a bag to go there."

"Oh." They all said.

"Maybe we should have left him there." Brennan said wondering how to sneak Sweets back in.

"No, he needed medical attention and we had that here." Cam said. "Booth did the right thing. Just how do we get him back in?"

"I walk in." Sweets said. "Look Carter may or may not know that I left, if I casually go back in and he were to ask then I'll say I was destroying evidence here."

"Oh." They said again. "Yeah that could work."

"Okay, well I'm taking Sweets back." Booth said. "Carter won't try anything if we are together."

"No Booth it's okay, if he did I could tell him I'm dropping the case." Sweets interjected.

"I'm not taking complete faith he'll believe you." Booth said. "Besides are you going to take a cab? Look, if Carter sees you back at the Hoover you can tell him we were investigating, ran out of evidence and that led us to close it. Besides, by morning that will be the case. If the bosses give you any grief about dropping it - I'm there to back you up."

"And then we go back to work." Brennan said and they all agreed.

Booth and Brennan said goodnight to each other while Hodgins found a new shirt for Sweets to put on having cut up the old one. Cam looked over Sweets bandages once more and once satisfied she helped Hodgins pull the shirt over Sweets head. He was glad that the marks were hidden again and perhaps forgotten.

Cam wanted to remind him to be sure and watch them since they had gotten infected already and that was what caused his fever but she could tell Sweets wanted as little attention drawn to them as possible.

"Okay, until morning." They said as they watched Booth &amp; Sweets walk out the door. Brennan couldn't help but feel her own gut tell her something wasn't right.

* * *

Booth pulled up at the Hoover as the two walked casually into the building. They could feel eyes on them and tried to act as normal as possible.

Once they were at Sweets office Booth looked over the office to make sure it was secure. He felt pretty good knowing that Sweets was in a secure building. He hoped Sweets felt the same way and that would help the kid get some rest.

"You know I could stay Sweets, I mean there's work we could be doing." Booth said but Sweets shook his head to the negative.

"No, you should be home with Brennan, just in case." Sweets said knowing that it would prompt him to go home.

"Yeah, okay." Booth spied Sweets blood stained button down shirt from earlier that night. "But call you know…if anything…"

"I will." Sweets promised.

Soon Booth was gone and Sweets flopped on his couch - the same one he had grown accustomed to living on when he and Daisy split. He doubted that Carter would go after her, they hadn't been an item in a long time so he decided she was fine. Sweets felt relaxed that his friends knew and were going to help. For the first time in days his nerves felt relaxed as he began to get some much needed sleep.

His phone rang and with sleepy eyes he accepted the call.

"Agent Sweets, I'd like to know where you've been." Carter said on the other end of the line.

Sweets sat up quickly making his broken rib prick at his side. "I…" Sweets was flabbergasted _how did he get my personal cell? Calm down Lance, stick to the plan. _"I was on the case, working for you." _There you go Lance, pad his ego some. _"We will not have enough evidence. We will be dropping it - officially in the morning."

Sweets had the bait out there, dangling, waiting, hoping.

"I see." Carter said in a non-committal tone. "I hope for _your_ sake you are telling the truth. Or at least for those little ones."

The phone clicked to end the call and all desires to relax and sleep were gone. Sweets looked at his phone to call Booth but decided against it.


	10. Chapter 10

10.

_If I haven't mentioned it already I don't own Bones. I don't know why the assumption would ever be that I did, but I'll add it just the same._

_Sorry there have not been daily updates, hard to feel motivated. Thank you to those who have followed &amp; reviewed._

**The team knows and has decided to help secretly while the case will be officially closed.**

* * *

"Hey Sweets!" Booth said walking in the door with a small white paper bag and two cups of coffee in a cardboard holder.

Sweets eyes opened though he swore he had just closed them. Carter's phone call last night did little to help him get a good night's rest. Instead he felt tired and achy, then he remembered he had good reason to be achy.

"Morning Booth." Sweets said while firmly pressing a hand against the couch to push himself as casually as possible in a sitting position. There was however nothing casual about his pain and thus little he could hide.

Sweets squeezed his eyes shut as his body awakened to the 'next day' pain of achy and sore muscles and bones. He could feel a hand on his shoulder until he was in a sitting position when he opened his eyes but of course he knew it was Booth who now sat beside him on the couch.

"That reminds me." Booth said once Sweets was in a sitting position and reached in his pocket. "Bones wanted me to give you these."

Booth put a small bottle in Sweets hand then said he would be right back. Sweets attempted to read the bottle but he hardly cared having assumed they were some sort of pain killer. While not one to generally take pain killers he was more against the many questions he would mostly likely get as to why he was walking awkwardly.

Once the bottle was finally open he shook them onto his hand but didn't know who many to take. The sight in his hand of something that would remove the agony he was feeling was tempting to take all of them.

"Bones said two." Booth said coming back in with a bottle of water.

Sweets nodded and popped two in and put the rest away. He hoped they were fast acting.

Booth picked up the white paper bag, "I know it's not a big breakfast but…"

"Thank you Booth, I really appreciate everything." Sweets said quickly and sipped on the hot and very welcomed coffee.

"Did you sleep well?" Booth asked.

_No. _"Yes. Thanks."

"Good I was hoping nothing would bother you." Booth said relaxing.

_Just the crazy psycho called me. _"No, it was a pretty quiet evening." _Lance what the hell is wrong with you? Just last night you were glad you had told everyone and they were in on it. Why lie?_

"Good, if that psycho comes at you again I don't care what the plan is he's out." Booth said with his temper starting to rise.

_Oh yeah, that's why._

"Yeah, let's just stick to the plan and hope it works." Sweets said inspecting the pastry in the bottom of the bag. It could have been a poop pastry with pee sauce drizzled on it and he wouldn't have cared he was so hungry.

"Of course it will work." Booth said confidently as he watched the psychologist devour the pastry in a two bites. "I guess I should have gotten more of those."

Sweets grinned and changed the subject. "So I'm going to go up and to bosses and close the case, they won't be pleased I'm sure."

"Well they want results." Booth reminded him. "They are based on numbers and they don't like to see that ratio of open cases go up. But here's how we are going to play it. We'll explain we don't want to close the case at this time but there is simply no evidence to continue it. While they hate the term cold case we will tell them that we have many more cases pressing that need our attention and that we are going to focus on them but that this case file will remain on our desks and we will go back to it soon. As far as Carter knows, it's cold in the system. It's all about selling it to the bosses."

"Right." Sweets said knowing his inability to lie well.

"I'll be there to help out." Booth said standing up. "Just get dressed and we'll head up there. The sooner we get this closed the sooner we can get on the case!"

Sweets shook his head at that backwards logic at play. He hoped that Carter bought his line that the case was closed, he had a nagging suspicion that he had not.

* * *

"So sir that's why we are closing the case for now." Sweets explained with the best poker face he had mustered. He kept telling himself it was like chess, just play the face that looks like you don't know you're going to win it all.

"That's right sir." Booth chimed in. "We have currently exhausted all leads and there is a case load right now that also demands our attention."

"I know that agent Booth but right now I can't be bringing numbers to the board with his many closed cases that are unsolved."

Sweets felt his stomach tie in knots.

"Sir, we don't have the evidence to lead us anywhere. The Jeffersonian has done a thorough job." Sweets offered.

"Perhaps we should have our people look it over. Why didn't they do that in the first place?" The boss, Skinner asked.

"Overload sir." Booth offered quickly. "No offense to the victims in this case sir but they have no family. We do have other cases where loved ones are actively searching…."

"I understand that Agent Booth." Skinner said looking over the file for the fourth time. Booth could tell that Sweets was getting anxious. Sweets was pretty sure his heavy beating heart was going to bust thru his broken rib cage. If they couldn't close this case then Carter wouldn't get off his back.

"No, I'm not going to do it." Skinner said handing the file back to Sweets who felt the pastry want to rise in his stomach. "You can work actively on other cases as well but this one needs to continue investigation. Search more - find more right?"

Skinner turned his attention back to his files indicating that the conversation was done.

"Sir.." Booth said beginning to argue.

"I believe we are done here, Agent Booth. Investigating to do right?"

Sweets nodded and headed for the door though his complexion had paled considerably. Sweets knew there was no arguing to be had.

The two walked quietly down the hall not sure of who might be listening. Once they reached a quiet hallway the two stopped.

"Sweets I had no idea that would happen." Booth whispered.

"I know Booth." Sweets said rubbing his forehead. The pain pills had worked great and he was able to walk completely free of showing off his excessive pain. Not however he felt like they were wearing off.

"Do you think Skinner could be working for that ass Carter?" Booth asked. "He seemed adamant we keep it open."

Sweets considered it a moment. "That's the point though, if he was working for Carter then he could have closed it for him instead of me. Here's a beaurocrat - not sure which is worse that or the criminal."

"Right." Booth said agreeing. "Okay, well we tell Carter that the boss won't let us close it but that's even better - it can sit open under your name for a long time and then you have control over it."

The look on Sweets face wasn't one of conviction and certainty.

"It'll work." Booth assured him.

"Right." Sweets said heading back to his office.

* * *

Sweets knew he needed to continue to work on the case as they planned but he couldn't take his eyes off his cell phone - he waited for it to ring, he knew Carter would call.

The pain killers were making him feel pretty good so he tried to relax and start to work. _You can always just live at the office - yeah that won't signal to Carter that anything is wrong. _Sweets rubbed his head seeing nothing good coming out of the whole situation. It wasn't even noon and he didn't want to spend the day in brooding and despair so he decided to check in and see if Angela had found anything under her heavy shield of computer trickery.

"Hey Sweets, how are you feeling?" Angela said answering the phone.

"Better, thanks." Sweets said eyeing the pain killer bottle. _Yum. Nope, let's not get addicted too. _"Are we safe on the phone?"

"So far it looks like he's only able to tap into the computer system to see what searches are brought up on him or on the case so it's not an internal hack on the FBI system so the phones should be safe." Angela relayed. "He's not really a computer genius but he may have people working for him. Either way I've got signals bouncing just about everywhere so we can work undercover."

"Sounds complicated."

"Not for me." Angela said and added a teasing laugh to suggest she was joking. The atmosphere of the conversation though put Sweets at ease almost as much as the drugs. "So far what I found is that Tallie Roberts ran away from home at 16. Her parents didn't file a police report or anything at that time, they finally did a few weeks ago."

"Why would they wait so long?" Sweets mused and hoped Angela had some insight.

"My guess is she was about to turn 18 and it would be their last chance in getting help to find her." Angela reported. "But why wait two years, wait you said you had some notes from McLaughlin?"

"Yeah, he was hired by Tallie's parents - she ran away from home, problem child with drugs and stuff. Apparently about six months after she ran away she would contact them from burner cells to say hello and that she was fine. Seemed that living in the real world gave her a little more perspective on how hard life was. She wasn't ready to go home though because she wouldn't tell them where she was. One day she stopped checking in and that's when they hired McLaughlin and I'm guessing when they stopped hearing from him they filed the police report."

"Any clues on where she was?"

"She was working in a diner where truckers stop in." Sweets said thinking. "I'm going to do some digging there."

Sweets hung up and looked at McLaughlin's notes about the small diner Tallie Roberts worked in. Sweets knew by him finding information Carter wouldn't catch him - it was only when he looked up Carter's information that the psycho had been tipped off. Still the tingling in his side and nightmare of chest burns and cuts kept him from picking up the phone. _If you don't find out something you will like this forever, this case has to end. _ Sweets picked up the phone and called the diner and told him he was a private detective. If anyone at the diner _by chance _was one of Carter's people, well Sweets wanted to be covered, if McLaughlin was gone he could work under the guise of a new detective on the job. Soon Sweets was connected with the owner of the diner.

"No, we didn't have a Tallie Roberts here, but we did have another detective looking for her." The woman on the phone reported. "I think he was looking for the same gal we had here though, Callie Thompson."

Not only did Sweets figure that if McLaughlin was on the right track, but Tallie probably took the name Callie to sound the same thus, she would easily respond when called upon.

"We haven't seen her in a few months." The lady continued. "She just stopped coming in one day."

"Was there anything strange about that day?" Sweets asked now wondering if Carter had something to do with the disappearance of the young woman as well. Up until now he just figured she was outside the case.

"It's not uncommon for people to work here and leave." She said in a bored tone.

"You didn't have issue with hiring a minor?" Sweets asked.

"Minor what do you mean?"

"Tallie Roberts only recently turned 18." Sweets knew the woman though she had hired an older girl and from the photo Angela had found, Tallie Roberts easily passed for her early twenties. However Sweets got the desired response - the lady was now extremely eager to help.

"Look, I don't want any trouble - I didn't know that." The lady said adamantly.

"Well look, I'm interested in finding the girl, her parents are looking for her. They might be a little upset to know…"

"I wanna help. I do!" The lady was now far more attentive to the conversation. "I hadn't thought nothing of it but the day she disappeared she took a ride from one of the truckers that stopped in."

Sweets spidey senses stood on end. "What can you tell me about him?"

"I don't know names or nothing but young guy, regular, bum leg from a bunch of Harey Carey stuff."

"Thank you, you've been very helpful." Sweets said hanging up to call Booth.

"Booth here."

"Booth!" Sweets said excitedly. "Tallie Roberts was last seen leaving the diner with Carl Sager."

"Presumably Sager gets pulled over by Carter." Booth said thinking along.

"So what did Carter do with Tallie Roberts…" Sweets said leading Booth into the next question.

"Do we have another body?" Booth wondered.

"I don't think so, call it a gut feeling."

"That's my boy!" Booth said. "So what are you thinking?"

"They aren't good thoughts."

"What about the evidence they pulled from the truck?" Booth asked.

"I'm going to find out now." Sweets said turning his attention to calling Cam at the Jeffersonian.

"Cam, have you gone thru any of the evidence found at the truck?" Sweets asked, his adrenaline mounting.

"No." She said but sensed his interest was important. "I can get Hodgins on it. Am I looking for anything in particular?" Cam asked heading towards Hodgins.

"Tallie Roberts, the missing girl McLaughlin was looking for - was in the truck with him, at least that's what it sounds like may have happened. I'd like to see if anything found could verify it."

"It was found in a swamp right?" Cam asked.

"Yes but they did collect samples." Sweets said.

"We're on it." Cam said hanging up.

Sweets let out a breath, he felt like he was finally getting somewhere. Then he glanced at his phone blinking red. Missed call. He had been so busy on the phone he hadn't heard it ring and had the volume turned down since his meeting that morning with the boss. Sweets tried to keep his hand from trembling as he picked it up. Same phone number as that morning, Carter. _Do I call it back? _He wondered what the protocol of the psycho was. As though reading his mind the phone rang again.

"Hello." Sweets said in as even of a tone as he could muster.

"Busy doing something agent?" Carter's icy tone asked. Sweets decided that was in reference to his missing the call and not still working on the case.

"Yes, I was talking to the boss." Sweets said.

"Yes, I see that your promise of the case being dropped has not been fulfilled." Sweets remembered that Carter could see the open case access.

"I know, as I said I was in a long meeting with the boss. He wants to keep it open." Sweets knew he couldn't lie so he didn't try.

"That is not…"

"It's better." Sweets said interrupting Carter. "As an open case it will be assigned to me for a time, I can control where the investigation goes. I can be sure it goes nowhere near you."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Sweets got a new idea, one that allowed himself more freedom.

"They refused to close the case - they want their numbers to look good and closed/unsolved cases don't help." Sweets was trying to keep calm, he was building his pitch. "Which is good for us."

"Pray tell." Carter said, menace in his tone.

"Because I plan to close it." Sweets said feeling a certain boldness that came from inside a heavily secure building. He did intend to close it and put Carter behind bars, but he wanted more than to win the battle and lose the war in a pissing match with Carter at the moment. "I've got to do some more work on the case but I've already got a patsy."

"What are you saying?" Carter asked and Sweets could sense the tight line he was walking. It was at that moment that Booth chose to walk in the door. Sweets put his finger to his lips and Booth quickly obliged at saying nothing.

"The best way to get this done and gone away is to arrest someone for it." Sweets explained. The bosses will be happy and you will be happy as it will not be you behind bars." Sweets explained. "I've got a guy in mind, I just need a little time to frame him for it, get the evidence placed on him. He's a drug addict, he doesn't know what he's done half the time anyway."

The phone was silent for a moment and Sweets waited impatiently for an answer while avoiding Booth's scowling brow. Finally Carter let out a chuckle.

"You're not half bad at this kid. Maybe I got the wrong impression of you. Maybe I should be hiring you instead of beating you into submission. Here I took you for a straight and narrow sort of guy."

"Oh you never know what I'm up to." Sweets said.

"You've got 24 hours kid." Carter said and hung up upon which Sweets dropped the phone and let out a heavy sigh he had been holding in. While he had been giving the impression of a calm and collected person he was shaking at the prospect of Carter not buying into it. He rubbed his eyes and when he opened them he recalled Booth was there, only now he was next to him at his desk with his phone in his hand.

"What are you…" Sweets began to say as Booth looked at the number.

"Looks like this **isn't **the first call from Carter you got today."

_Crap._

* * *

_Reviews welcome._


	11. Chapter 11

11.

**Carter's got Sweets cell phone but he doesn't mention that to Booth. The boss refuses to sign off on the case being closed. Sweets does some digging, finds out Tallie Roberts caught a ride home with Carl Sager when he ended up dead and realizes she's not only missing but possibly involved. Carter calls and Sweets tells him the case is open but he's got a fall guy for it. Carter likes the idea and Booth walks in to find out Sweets has gotten calls, on his cell, from Carter but hasn't said anything to anyone.**

* * *

"I'm hoping it's just your memory that got knocked out of you yesterday." Booth said trying to calm his anger.

"I was going to say something." Sweets said rubbing his headache.

"And thus your memory loss." Booth added.

"Next time he calls, you'll know." Sweets said.

"Yeah see, I'm having a hard time with the trust at the moment Sweets." Booth said sitting on the edge of his desk. "So guess what, now you have a shadow!"

Sweets gave Booth a sarcastic look that illustrated his lack of appreciation of the idea.

"You're welcome." Booth added. "Now let's get Angela to track this."

"And that's why I didn't tell you." Sweets said causing Booth to stop texting Angela.

"Look Booth if I told you he called you would want to track him, he'll get alerted and I'll get the raw end of the deal - or worse- one of the people we care the most about."

Booth took into consideration Sweets thoughts for the first time considering this.

"Secondly it's probably a burner cell. He probably won't even use it again today."

"You expect him to call back today?" Booth asked.

"I expect him to hound me about as much as you do." Sweets said half sarcastically.

Booth rolled his eyes. "So who are you going to pin this on?"

"Oh that." Sweets said.

"I didn't realize you knew so many drug addicts."

_Oh if only you knew my job _Sweets said to himself. "I do but I didn't intent to actually implicate an innocent person. I wanted it to buy us some time. Carter's _not_ going to leave this case in the open status."

Booth decided to trust Sweets instinctive qualities and his own horrid relationship with Carter to know the psycho best.

"Now, let me bring you up to speed on Tallie Roberts, she might be the key to this whole thing." Sweets said and explained everything he had learned about Tallie.

"So Carter takes Tallie but kills Sager." Booth said thinking aloud but his stomach growled to fill in the gaps. "Man this is too much to think about on an empty stomach. Let's go get lunch."

Booth headed to the door but Sweets stayed at his desk.

"Come on Sweets you've gotta eat." Booth encouraged him.

"Sure, uh, let's order in." Sweets suggested.

"Nah, I don't like being in doors too much, I'm a field kind of guy." Booth urged him by walking back to his desk but Sweets stayed firmly in his chair.

"But it's nice at the office, and it's uh, secure."

"Oh." Booth said getting why Sweets was so reluctant. "You know there's nothing to worry about Sweets - Carter thinks you're on the level with him and you've got me. So see, nothing to worry about."

Sweets go up and followed Booth to the door but he was far from buying into the notion that there was 'nothing to worry about'.

* * *

"Ah, good I'm starving." Booth announced as the waitress brought two plates of food. Sweets mused how if Brennan were here she would say would redefine Booth's comment about starving.

"More coffee sir?" The waitress asked Sweets.

"Yes please." Sweets said holding his cup out.

"Better watch it Sweets, you've had like ten cups." Booth said.

"Just consider me from Finland."

Booth looked confused.

"People from Finland drink more coffee per person per day than anyone else in the world. A fact I just learned the other day." Sweets said happy for a diversion away from the case.

"What is with you and Bones? You always have some random fact."

"Well the world is an interesting place Booth, always something to learn." Sweets said with a growing interest towards his plate of food. Booth was glad to see the psychologist digging in, he had been worried Sweets was looking a bit too frail and not just from the recent physical altercations.

"Yeah I guess." Booth said eating away. He kept his eye on Sweets noticing that even with lunch Sweets was sucking down coffee, _he must be exhausted. Dammit that Carter pisses me off. At least he's eating, geez, is this what Sweets does all the time? Analyze people and what they do?_

"So is there a hockey game or championship or something coming up?" Sweets asked filling in the silence with something that would interest Booth. Sweets could feel Booth analyzing him. _Geez is this what it feels like when I do this to other people? We can't discuss the case, who knows who is listening._

"Honey you sure you don't want something besides coffee?" The waitress asked hovering over Sweets once again empty cup before Booth could begin to answer.

"No that's fine." Sweets said watching her fill the cup. As the dark liquid filled the heavy diner porcelain mug Sweets thought of Tallie Roberts, working as a waitress at a truck stop. Sweets looked around the restaurant.

Booth noticed Sweets wasn't listening to his sports laced answer but based on the young man's expression he didn't care - the look Sweets had was his fancy brain wheels turning and he was far more interested in what Sweets was thinking - or learning for today.

"Whatcha thinking about Sweets?" Booth asked drawing the young man's attention back to him.

Sweets turned around and looked back at Booth but knew someone could be listening, one of Carter's men. Sweets wasn't about to take any changes if Carter decided to go after Angela or Cam.

"Sweets?" Booth asked again and then considered the reason why Sweets was being so quiet. "Oh, uh, are you done with lunch?"

"Miss?" Sweets said stopping the waitress. The younger waitress stopped and smiled at Sweets who was so deep in thought he hadn't noticed. "This may be impertinent, but can I ask you a question - how did you get into waitressing?"

"Oh, well, I needed job, they didn't require a lot of experience and the cash isn't bad." She answered.

"Right." Sweets said thinking. "Do you have a lot of family in the area?"

The waitress got shy at the question. "I'm sorry to intrude, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Oh, that's okay, but no, I don't have a lot of family." The girl looked sort of sad when she said it.

"Me either." Sweets said in honesty but to make her feel better. She was called to another table and their conversation was over.

"So what was you picking up a girl?" Booth asked curiously.

"Don't we have that meeting in a few minutes?" Sweets asked drinking the last of his coffee.

"Meeting?" Booth asked. "Oh yes, _that _meeting." He said getting up as the pair walked out.

* * *

Once in the safe confines of the mammoth SUV, the conversation continued.

"So that was about…." Booth said leading Sweets into the conversation.

"Tallie Roberts." Sweets answered.

"Well I sort of assumed that."

"Tallie Roberts ran away from home, unknown to anyone where she was. Carl Sager had no family. Ross McLaughlin, total loaner. No one would have noticed these people were gone had we not found those two men's bodies and Tallie Roberts only because of McLaughlin."

"Right….so…."

"Carter is targeting people that no one will miss." Sweets said.

"You think there are more?" Booth asked, depressed at the thought.

"He said that he's got a network, so yeah, there's plenty more."

"So we're looking for bodies?"

"There's no money in bodies unless he were selling body parts and McLaughlin and Sager had theirs. He has some other plan." Sweets said. "Sager and McLaughlin somehow got in the way and that's why they were eliminated. We only found them because his other people screwed up on the body dump."

"So what are we dealing with here?"

"I don't know." Sweets said still grasping at the concept. "But we need to figure out a way to find out how many people - and who - went missing along the road. We already know that they probably pulled over for Carter thinking it was a routine infraction. He probably dragged them back to his car, subdued them and had someone else come back for their car - send it to chop shop or dump it."

"So we're going to find all of this out without tipping off Carter of course."

"Of course." Sweets said adamantly.

"I have an idea." Booth said turning the car around to a new direction.

* * *

Sweets didn't want to say it out loud but he was glad to be back at FBI Headquarters despite the fact they were still in the car.

Booth turned to Sweets to explain. "We go inside and I head up to my office - there was a case on my desk for some narc operation. You've already tipped off Carter that we're trying to peg this thing on an addict so if Carter gets wind of anything we're doing it goes under the guise of that investigation."

"Okay, so what are we doing exactly then?"

"Carter gave you 24 hours right?" Booth asked though Sweets needed little reminder of the time line. "We need answers and fast and we can't look up who Carter is pulling over or who his people are without tipping him off. So we need to find out for ourselves. You said he's only pulling over people without a family. We get a profile made on a female agent - young and without a family and have her drive down one of Carter's roads he patrols. We'll see what happens when he pulls her over."

"I don't know Booth."

"She'll be an agent, plenty able to take care of herself. We'll get her car bugged, Carter tries kidnap her we'll follow him to the location and see if we can find Tallie Roberts. He tries anything else and she can shoot to kill. We'll warn her about the Taser and she'll be all over it."

Sweets didn't want to undermine any agent's ability but he had a bad feeling.

"Okay, how about this, we stuff another agent in the back seat out of sight." Booth offered.

"Two is better than one." Sweets said. "But how are we going to do this without the boss asking?"

"We're working the narc case." Booth explained and Sweets liked how it looked from the bosses' side and from Carter's side.

"Okay, let's do it." Sweets said feeling all their bases were covered, the clock was ticking and options were few.

* * *

Choosing not to speak out loud about any of their decisions Sweets and Booth appeared to work the narc case and when Skinner asked why they weren't working the murder case they explained it appeared tied to the narcotics case. Pleased they could knock out two cases in one, Skinner stuck his nose back in his reports and disappeared.

"Agent Booth?" Agent Patterson asked as she approached. Booth and Sweets shook her hand and nodded their heads at each other - she was young and appeared to be very confident and strong - everything they were looking for. "You have a case you need me for?"

"Yes Agent Patterson." Booth said inviting her to sit down in the conference room where Booth &amp; Sweets had been working with the door shut.

"We are working on a narcotics case. We think someone is running drugs along the highway." Booth explained, keeping the agent in the dark.

"I don't understand, I thought you worked much more complicated cases, if you don't mind my bluntness." Agent Patterson asked.

"Yes, we do." Sweets assured her. "And that is why we need your discretion on this case." Agent Patterson seemed intrigued. "See we suspect a state trooper is the one instituting these drug runs. If that is the case, we don't know what level of law enforcement could be in on it."

"I see." She said with great interest.

Booth explained. "So we need you to be driving along the road, we have a new identity set up for you. If you get pulled over we need for you to see what happens - most likely he is going to try and abduct you by tasing you - so you will need to be ready. If he does make a move, we can arrest him. Not to worry, we'll have an agent hidden in a special hiding place under of the back seat."

"I understand." Agent Patterson said quickly.

"They should have everything ready for you. We'll head out in the evening." Booth said and the agent quickly left to get her assigned outfit and car.

"Booth if anything happens to her…" Sweets said still full of concern.

"It's not going to Sweets." He assured him. "Because I'm going to be that agent in the back seat."

"Booth, I don't know about this."

"I do. Carter tries something I'm an excellent shot. You're not bad kid, but let me take this one, I've got some experience at it."

Sweets couldn't disagree with Booth's sniper past. "Well I can't just hang out here."

"I'd be safer, but I don't expect you to. I want you in my SUV along with Bones."

Sweets wasn't sure of this plan.

"I don't want you in the SUV alone, Bones is a good shot and she's people we can trust." Booth said and Sweets couldn't disagree with that.

* * *

The afternoon flew by as plans were made and evidence was planted. Brennan arrived at the FBI office.

"Booth, Sweets we did find some information." Brennan reported but the two were hardly listening they were so busy with last minute plans.

"Yeah that's great Bones." Booth said while testing some equipment.

"It's fibers from the truck and also those cigarettes from McLaughlin's car." She began to pull out files but Booth was too busy.

"Yeah, look I think we're going to nail this guy tonight so keep that so Caroline can really put the nails in the coffin okay Bones?" Brennan could tell Booth wasn't going to listen so she put the files on his desk for later.

"Okay so what are we doing?" Brennan asked having only a general idea of the plan.

"You and Sweets are getting some disguises on so when you pull out of here no one has reason to follow you." Booth said as Sweets walked up with a cap and mustache. Brennan couldn't help but giggle.

"You and Sweets will be in the vicinity so in case the car and Carter go separate ways you can follow the car to see where it goes." Booth explained. "Everything has a tracker on it. I've got to head down to auto, they've got a special compartment built for me in the back seat."

"Okay, be careful." Brennan said.

"Of course. What could go wrong?"

* * *

"What time is it?" Brennan asked rubbing her eyes.

"10:30." Sweets said from the driver's seat as they sat bored and parked on the side of the road for the last five hours. "This doesn't seem to be working." Sweets knew the 24 hour deadline to give Carter some results was close to coming.

"What about the car?" Brennan asked.

"Still on the radar." Sweets said watching it go by. "Booth must be pissed to be under the seat of a 94 Honda Civic for this long."

"Maybe not." Brennan said. "The car just stopped."

Sweets sat up in his chair as they watched the tracker on the car and those inside it come to a stop.

"It's not far from here." Brennan announced.

They sat watching the unmoving dot on the screen. The car was filled with silence, accentuated under the darkness of the night. The silence was shattered as Sweets cell phone rang. An unknown call was on the other line and Sweets answered it.

"Agent Sweets." Carter's voice came over the phone. "It's nearly 24 hours, do you have good news for me?"

"Yes, I think we are closing in on the case." Sweets said. "I have an addict, I'm just setting him up for the fall."

"That's good, now I'm sorry Agent Sweets but I have to go. You see I've just pulled over a 1994 white Honda Civic, but then again, I'm sure you know the one I'm referring to."

The phone line went dead and Sweets wasted no time starting the SUV, putting it in drive and flying down the road. Brennan asked twice what was going on but she soon put the elements together herself.

Moments later they arrived at the scene, Carter waiting for them of course as Sweets pulled up. He stood outside the car with a gun to Agent Patterson's head. Booth wasn't in sight, Sweets had hope Booth was waiting for just the right moment. Sweets and Brennan exited the car but kept a distance as a crying Agent Patterson was in Carter's grip.

"Do I need to tell you my disappointment?" Carter said coldly to Sweets.

"No, I can pretty much see it." Sweets said cautiously. "What now Carter?"

"We're not all leaving here alive." Carter said. "I'll let you pick which one of these girls gets to live and go with me and which one dies here."

"No deal." Sweets said.

"Okay, then I'll shoot them both and fire a few shots into the back seat of this car." Carter said. "I'll bet I'll hit something."

Sweets heart raced at the thought of Booth under the seat. _Why hasn't he jumped out yet? _Then it occurred to Sweets.

"How did you know someone was under the seat?" Sweets asked.

Carter rolled his eyes. "Dammit we spoiled that one didn't we honey?" Carter said to Patterson. As quick as Patterson's fake tears stopped she pulled her own gun out and fired a shot at Brennan while Carter fired a shot at Sweets. Sweets was faster on the draw and fired a shot of his own that took out Patterson but Sweets felt sick for a moment. He reached to his side and felt a warm liquid there. Feeling unsure of this footing Sweets took a step back but fell to the ground. Brennan rushed over behind him.

"Carter…" Sweets said as Brennan took the gun from Sweets but it was too late, Carter hit Brennan on the back of the head and turned to fire his gun at her. Sweets' adrenaline surged as he jumped to his feet and knocked Carter to the ground. Sirens approached in the distance, they were finally responding to his and Brennan's call and Sweets felt relieved until he realized it wasn't relief, it was a loss of consciousness. _No, no, hang on Lance._

"Ha ha, perfect." Carter said as Sweets felt his body being lifted and dragged quickly towards the state trooper car. Carter didn't have time to finish anything else as he headed threw Sweets in the trunk and sped away from the scene.

Brennan sat up as she heard the car leave. She tried to get up and get into the car but her vision was blurred and after two attempts she failed to get the door open. She heard a noise at the Honda Civic and remembered Booth. Her heart skipped as she remembered Booth was in the car. She opened the door in time for the seat to come up and a disoriented Booth to emerge.

"Booth!" Brennan shouted rushing towards him as he held his head. "What happened?"

"I don't know, I passed out, some sort of gas…"

Booth saw Patterson lying on the ground. "Oh no!" He said going towards her.

"Booth, she was working with Carter!"

Booth looked around. "Where's Sweets?"

Brennan's eyes nearly filled with tears. "Carter."

Booth felt sick with broken promises. "No…."

* * *

_Well that may have been a bit of a mess. I might make some coffee now. ;) Reviews welcome.  
_


	12. Chapter 12

12.

**Booth &amp; Sweets deduce that Carter is capturing people off the road who pull over for a cop and are people who society won't notice are missing. They decide to have a young &amp; pretty Agent Patterson drive along the roads Carter has picked up Sager &amp; McLaughlin. Booth is in a secret department in the back seat while Brennan &amp; Booth wait nearby. The plan goes awry when Patterson is working for Carter and double crosses them. Sweets gets shot in the side, then captured by Carter. Booth had been drugged by Patterson who was shot by Sweets.**

* * *

Booth found his mind much clearer by the time they were escorted back to Skinner's off and in slightly less time Booth discovered the perception at hand.

"So you want me to believe that Dr. Sweets was the lead on this case - as assigned by _you _only to be terrorized by a highly decorated state trooper?" Skinner shouted.

"Yes and we need to find Sweets instead of standing around and talking about it. This guy is a psychopath!" Booth retorted.

"Agent Booth I have a dead agent - brought into the field by you! As per your wife's testimony - shot by Dr. Sweets! I don't plan on anyone going anywhere unless it's an unpaid leave of absence!" Skinner shouted back. "Unless of course you have some evidence to back this up."

Booth gritted his teeth, "I would think that Sweets missing would be a pretty good start!"

"How do I know that Dr. Sweets isn't the psychopath? He's the one who shot an agent. Why do you believe him when he says this Carter is nuts? All I've got on this guy is that he's the best in the field with multiple marks of recommendation. Dr. Sweets on the other hand tends to - along with you - work outside the system when it suits both of you. Now who do you expect me to believe?"

"I would expect you to support your own people." Booth said standing up. "And if you have no intention of starting an all-out search for Sweets then I'm leaving this office. I know what that psycho is capable of - I've seen it."

"Sit down Agent Booth, Internal Affairs will look for Dr. Sweets."

Booth looked outside the glass door to see two agents standing around a coffee pot shaking their heads and telling dirty jokes.

"You've got to be kidding me." Booth said standing up.

"Agent Booth where are you going?" Skinner said walking after him.

"To find one of the two best agents you ever had."

* * *

Booth got to his office and found a somber looking Brennan sitting there.

"Any word on Sweets?" Brennan asked quickly as Booth entered.

"No and they are in no hurry to." Booth said rubbing his head.

"Are you okay?" Brennan asked. "The gas she must have used to knock you out was pretty strong."

"I'm not worried about me Bones, Sweets is the one we should be the most worried about."

Brennan nodded. "I know, we've seen the handy work before. What do you mean they are in no hurry?"

"Internal affairs. They think Sweets is some crackpot who, I don't know made this up or something. If anything happens to Sweets I'm going to murder Skinner." Booth said pacing angrily. He was trying to think where to start.

"We need to find someone who knows where Sweets would be." Booth said thinking out loud. "We can't put anymore bait on the road for him to pick up - he's onto that by now."

"Do you think Sweets is still…alive?"

"Yes. Unfortunately Carter likes to torture people."

"He will be very angry with Sweets for the double cross." Brennan reminded him though there was little need to.

"I know Bones, that's why we need to hurry. You said something before about some evidence?"

"Yes but I'm afraid we're in a bit of trouble there."

"What do you mean?"

"I just got off the phone with Cam, because we were working on the case in secrecy and not keeping electronic files…"

"It's all going to get sorted out, somehow right?" Booth said more hopeful that sure.

"Booth we may not all have jobs after this." Brennan said. "The way this all looks, it looks pretty bad."

"Look, let's sort that out later. Sweets. Carter. We saw it all when it was just a warning. Now Carter's pissed."

Brennan couldn't help but be consumed with a feeling that they were too late.

"Well the file is still here." Brennan said picking it up. "We had pulled the fibers that were a match to Tallie Roberts in Carl Sager's truck but that only places her in the car with him.

"Something about cigarettes?" Booth asked thinking of what she had said.

Brennan smiled. "I thought you weren't listening when I had told you that. Yes the cigarettes in McLaughlin's car weren't his, we had noted earlier that he had signs of being a smoker."

"Fingerprints?" Booth asked.

"No, he must have had on gloves but Hodgins was able to pull some a small amount DNA off one the edge of pack where he would raise them his lips and use his mouth to pull one out of the pack."

"Do we have an ID?"

"Yes, Sam Rogers but we have no recent address."

"I think I can help with that." A man said standing in Booth's doorway. He was an older man in state trooper clothing.

"How's that?" Booth asked angry at the moment with all state troopers.

"I have some information about Dan Carter." The man said.

"Yeah well we don't want to hear about how great of a guy he is but you can go and tell Internal Affairs, I'm sure they're having another cup of coffee."

"I'm afraid it isn't good news." The man said. "I'm Lieutenant John Gillespie. I've worked with Dan Carter for years, the guy's never put me at ease, but he seemed to do his job, got plenty of recommendations too. But like I said, he never put me at ease and I kept him at arm's length because I had no reason to think otherwise of him. When I heard the call come over the radio that the FBI was looking for him, I thought I might come by."

"What kind of bad news is it?" Brennan asked.

"I've long since suspected Dan Carter of doing things, bad things."

"Perhaps I do have someone you can enlighten on this topic." Booth said.

* * *

Ten minutes later Booth stood impatiently between Gillespie and Skinner while Gillespie touted all his suspicions about Carter.

"Why now, why come out with it now?" Skinner asked skeptically.

"The guy is smart." Gillespie explained. "He has himself covered and he has friends, too many friends for a guy like him. I would fully agree with Agent Booth that he has people working in various places. The guy spent every minute he wasn't working on the phone with someone or other. He didn't say a lot, just yesses and no's but I always suspected there way more. Unfortunately I had no reason to push for an explanation."

"So you think Dr. Sweets was really onto something." Skinner said considering it but not convinced.

"It's possible." Gillespie said. "Agent Booth was asking about Sam Rogers. Rogers was another trooper in the unit. He was a screw up and was let go not long after he started with us. I would see him with Sam, I think Sam fell on hard times when he was let go, Carter said they were just hanging out but it seemed to me that Sam held pretty close to Carter like he was relying on him, like for a job."

"So what is this Carter guy up to?" Skinner asked.

"I don't know. He always seemed to have a lot of hands in a lot of pots. He always had cash, lots of cash. But that's not a crime." Gillespie said in his own defense. "The only thing I stopped him on was he had a guy, resisted arrest Carter said. The guy wasn't that big, wasn't high, nothing. I wouldn't have known anything but the guy collapsed and we had to call a paramedic - collapsed lung. The guy had fresh bruises all over his chest. Wouldn't have seen them if he hadn't collapsed. The guy swore Carter didn't do it but he wouldn't look up at him the whole time either, I couldn't do anything without a confession. I always suspected Carter did it, and something bad enough that the guy was scared enough to never talk."

"I need to find Sweets." Booth said thinking of Sweets similar condition before, possibly worse right now.

Skinner shook his head. "Internal Affairs…"

"…is not ready for this kind of field work. I need the Jeffersonian' s help, I need you to clear us to work." Booth demanded.

Skinner seemed hesitant.

Booth walked closer to Skinner and lowered his voice. "If anything happens to Sweets I'll be sure and let them know who held up the investigation." Booth considered a further incentive. "I also suspect Carter of having killed the two men in the case and kidnapping a young girl - possibly others. Do you want to hinder finding _all _of them?"

Like a typical bureaucrat fearful of his job, Skinner quickly agreed.

"You have no idea where I can find Carter?" Booth asked Gillespie.

"I went by his place before I came here, dummy address, no one was there, looks like never has been just a fake address."

"Where can I find this Rogers guy?" Booth asked.

"That I can help you with." Gillespie said. "But I'm coming with you. Carter is my responsibility too, and I've let him roam free far too long."

Booth considered it and he liked someone around with a good knowledge of Carter who could come up with more possible clues as they worked, plus he was an officer.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

Brennan headed back to the Jeffersonian with the evidence that was released back to her while Booth &amp; Gillespie headed to a bar that would be best described as a dive.

"He hangs out here sometimes. I'll warn you though, we may come across more friends of Carter's." Gillespie warned as they headed towards the door.

The bar was typical of most dives - still fell under the rules of the local no smoking inside but everyone did it anyway rule. As suspected most of the patrons turned and looked at the two "outsiders" as they walked in. Booth could feel all the eyes on them though few seemed sober or attentive enough notice much. This was the place you came to forget, not socialize.

Gillespie eyed the bartender who nodded to the back corner. Booth followed Gillespie as he headed towards a man he assumed was Sam Rogers.

"What? What did I do?" Rogers asked.

"How long you been here son?" Gillespie asked in his authoritative but somewhat caring Grandpa voice.

"What do you care old man. You fired my ass!" Rogers spit back.

"You can't jerk off in the car at a picnic spot." Gillespie quietly reminded him.

"Yeah, well how did I know the mayor was there with his girlfriend in the next car?" Rogers slurred. Booth was getting a clear idea of how Carter's network was built, amazingly the slum had quite a bit of intel.

"How about we walk this off." Gillespie said reaching for Rogers who backed away.

"Get off me!" Rogers shouted drawing some attention to the trio. The crowd seemed eager to join in on Rogers side should a brawl ensue. Booth didn't like those odds.

"Alright I don't have a lot of time here." Booth said. "Maybe we can reach a language you can understand, a fiduciary language."

Rogers looked confused.

"Money." Gillespie spelled out for him.

"Nah, I don't money, I'm good, besides, I ain't got nothing to tell." Rogers said. Booth suspected that Rogers was more fearful of what Carter would do to him, making money useless.

"You don't want to tell me why your DNA was on the cigarettes in Ross McLaughlin's car?" Booth said losing interest in bribing Rogers and now just wanting to beat him.

"Must have planted it there. Happens you know." Rogers said going back to drinking his cheap beer. Booth noticed that his pocket lit up but Rogers hadn't noticed. He wondered how many missed calls Rogers had in this noisy joint, possibly from Carter. Booth didn't care what procedure was, he quickly pulled Rogers phone out of his pocket. Rogers grabbed the phone but Gillespie held him back.

"What do you have to hide?" Gillespie said holding Rogers back.

"A lot of phone calls from different numbers." Booth said looking at them. "This should be enough to put you away for a long time. Pretty guy like you, you should enjoy prison."

Rogers suddenly appeared far more cooperative.

"Alright, alright." Rogers said standing up. "I can tell you about Carter but you won't like it."

"Go on." Booth said but Rogers didn't get the chance. A gun fired from across the room striking Rogers between the eyes and dropping him to the ground. Booth and Gillespie turned to see where the shot was coming from but the busy bar went up in hysterics as everyone ran to the door, most likely including the gunman.

"Looks like someone didn't want him talking to us." Gillespie said. "But why shoot him and not us?"

Booth looked at the deadbeat dead on the floor. "Carter has people killed that no one will miss."

Booth looked back at the phone, their only clue at the moment where Sweets might be. "Let's hope Angela can do something with this, before it's too late."


	13. Chapter 13

13.

**Booth gets taken off the case by Skinner and vows to find Sweets on his own despite their miniscule amount of evidence. Fate intervenes when John Gillespie, Carter's boss walks in to voice suspicions about Carter, getting Booth back on the case and joining in to help. Booth &amp; Gillespie track down Sam Rogers whose DNA was on the cigarettes found in McLaughlin's car. When Rogers is about to tell them about Carter, and possibly where Sweets is, he's shot in the head. Booth is left with Rogers cell phone.**

* * *

_Bumps. Ouch. Movement. Not Brennan's trunk. Ouch. Quiet…. Screaming - what was that? It's dark again…_

_Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Hey quit it! _Sweets came to with a jump but found he couldn't sit up. He was lying on a surface - an old flattened and musty mattress lay under him while his wrists were handcuffed above his head. His shirt was gone and he felt a chill in the room. As he felt a coldness at his sides he tried again to open his eyes. Thru the small slit of openness he saw the dimly lit room and a figure near him. He jumped at the outline but soon realized it wasn't Carter.

_Carter. Oh shit, Carter, he got me - but where is he? Who is this?"_

The figure timidly moved forward and wiped his side again but Sweets jumped. The figure became more clear, a young girl, she sighed in annoyance.

"Please stop moving." She asked.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Sweets asked as the girl continued to wipe the blood from his side. Sweets wasn't all that pleased to see the dirty rag being used to dress the wound.

"My name is Julie. I'm dressing the gunshot here, like he asked me to." Julie was a young girl, maybe 14 or 15 with dirty brown hair and dirty hands. She wore bulky and old clothes but she seemed small and frail.

"Who's he? Carter?" Sweets asked looking around. The girl only nodded as an answer. "Do you work for him?" Sweets asked thinking of Agent Patterson.

The girl laughed, but not in a happy manner. "If this is payment then I need a raise." She said. "A new job really."

Sweets looked down at his side which ached though the pain was manageable since his attention and adrenaline was drawn to his current situation.

"It will be fine, it's a thru and thru at the edge of the skin I've seen worse."

"Here?" Sweets asked. "Do you treat a lot of people?"

"Sometimes people get hurt and I'm supposed to fix them the best I can before they get send off."

"Sent off?" Sweets asked. "Sent off where? Where are we?" Sweets recognized that Julie must have been a captive too in some way so he hoped she could help him.

"Different places. Depends on who they are." Julie answered finishing with her job. "I don't know very much, you're the only one I've seen like you though, so I don't know where you are going."

"Julie!" Carter's voiced boomed in the room that echoed.

Julie stood up quickly with her rag and her cup of water and ran but she was past Sweets vision.

"No so much talking!" Carter shouted and Sweets could hear him strike at the girl as she fell to the ground.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Sweets shouted, angry that he had perhaps got her in trouble. He could feel Carter's gaze on him but he was tired of being scared of Carter. He could hear the girl run off as Carter approached and stood over Sweets.

Carter leaned in, Sweets shirt was gone so Julie could check on the injury. It allowed Carter to look over the rest of Sweets chest, it gave Sweets time to remember his last encounter with Carter - and begin to feel his braveness slip away.

"Looks like someone had these tended to. I doubt it was you." Carter said looking at Sweets previous scars. "Doesn't surprise me - you were double crossing me for quite a while weren't you?"

Sweets knew trying to explain he tried not to would do no good. Carter's attention was drawn to the bullet wound.

"I guess that's good enough. I don't want you bleeding out. Not before the fun can begin." Carter pulled Sweets head up and slammed his fist in his face.

As Sweets passed out he could hear Carter laugh. "Oh I wanted to hit him in the face since I first saw him."

* * *

When Sweets woke up again his arms were the first thing he realized was in pain - they were strung above him while his body dangled below. The pressure his slim yet dead weight had on his wrists was excruciating. His head bobbed forward while his neck snapped at the soreness of its position. Sweets vision began to focus on Carter ahead of him, sitting at a desk working. Sweets dangled from a ceiling joist like a long chandelier. _What the hell? _Sweets wondered as Carter sat at his desk working away. Sweets looked up to see how he was tied to the ceiling - his wrists bound in a thick rope, no way to get those undone. He looked down at his bare beaten chest exposed, his black pants around his too thin stomach were almost resting on his hips, his bare and cold feet dangling.

"You wanted to keep investigating Agent Sweets." Carter said hearing Sweets awake behind him. "A fly on the wall perhaps? Well now you can know everything."

Sweets looked around the room, an office with no window, file cabinets and stacks of clothes and various belongings. Sweets spied several things of interest, a phone and a gun - now if he could only get to them….

The door flew open when three men, one of whom Sweets remembered from the van incident came in with three men of Mexican descent. The men were terrified.

"Carter, we have more." The one man reported.

"Good, we have grown short on laborers." Carter said opening a book that appeared to be some sort of log. One of the men began to plead in Spanish causing one of the captors to strike him with his shotgun. The man fell to the floor. The other two men continued to stare at Sweets in horror, Sweets realized his other purpose was to serve as an instant warning to incoming 'visitors'.

"Put them in the holding area, 22." Carter announced. The men pushed the others thru the room.

Sweets was ready to pass out from a myriad of issues when the door came in again, the cold air hitting his chest and waking him. If the cold air wasn't enough the screaming was.

"Shut her up!" Carter shouted as Sweets came to. "Name." Carter demanded but the young girl only resumed crying.

"Lisa Johnson." The man said. "Runaway, no family, she was looking to get into prostitution."

"No I wasn't!" She shouted trying to get away but the man only twisted her arm more making her scream again.

"Leave, her, alone." Sweets said though his speech was slurred.

"Good!" Carter said pushing his wooden chair away. "I was hoping you would say something. It gives me a reason to illustrate a good point - to both of you - obedience."

Carter jabbed a Taser into Sweets side where the bullet wound was still fresh. Sweets arched at the pain but had nowhere to go as Carter continued to dig in.

"Stop it!" The girl now cried for Sweets' sake. The man holding her hit her across the face.

"Cell 18." Carter barked as the girl was carted off.

Sweets body ached as it hung from the space above, he was sure his wrists were going to fall off from his body if something didn't happen soon.

"You see why double crossing me was a bad idea?" Carter said turning back towards his desk. He was still near Sweets who swung his body and hit Carter in the head with his foot.

It wasn't a hard hit but the intention was clear. Carter's temper blew it's top and he ran to the door to demand for help. In a couple of minutes Sweets was lowered from the ceiling when Carter took joy in kicking and beating Sweets while the other two held him. Sweets almost smiled as it was better than hanging from the ceiling.

Having lost consciousness part way thru the beating escapade Sweets was carted off into the other room. He woke not long after having felt fingers on his chest. He jumped back, an motion that proved to be a painful reminder of his recent quest but he kept his pleas of pain to himself. His eyes opened to see Julie.

"He won't hit you in the eyes." Julie said. "He'll want you to see - everything."

"Oh good." Sweets said sarcastically.

"It's a good thing you passed out." Julie said. "Otherwise he would have kept going, it's not pretty when he does."

"Where do these people go?" Sweets asking slowly sitting up from the cold and hard cement floor. He was pleased to see he wasn't tied in place this time, apparently they didn't think of him as a threat. Once he was sitting in place Julie leaned in to place an old and worn large sweatshirt over his head.

"This is the best I could find." Julie said.

"It won't get you in trouble will it? Where's Carter?" Sweets asked as Julie helped him pull his numb arms thru the sleeves.

"He's gone, they went some place, his patrols I guess. And no, he wants you alive." Julie said sadly. "Thank you for trying to help me. No one's been nice to me in a long time."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I felt home, my old man used to hit on me, turns out that wasn't nearly as bad as this."

"Who are all these people?"

"Carter picks them up from the road. If he doesn't pick them up the others might if they hear someone's story or if a girl's turning tricks they'll act like a customer and get them."

"Young girls with no family." Sweets said while remembering the case. "Do you remember seeing a Tallie Roberts?"

"Oh yea." Julie said very sure. "She caused all the ruckus. She was with some trucker when they got her, the trucker wasn't as lame as they thought, put up a fight. They killed him then Sam made some mistake with the body drop. It was a mess I gathered. They got her on her way pretty quick."

"Her way?" Sweets asked feeling the pain from the fist in his stomach half a dozen times. "Way where?"

"I don't know where exactly, Carter has a log though."

"What does he do with them?" Sweets asked less specifically.

"The Mexicans? Labor camps. The girls go into a slave ring." Julie said sadly.

Sweets tried to hide his complete and total horror which wasn't hard while he was bracing for a wave of pain to shoot thru his head again.

"What about you?" Sweets asked what he had been wondering for a while now.

"I was sick when I got here so he had to wait for me to get better, fetch a better price. In the mean time I ended up being useful so he kept me here. I don't know if it's worse than being moved on or not."

Sweets looked at the girl who was living a life no girl of 14 should have to. He imagined all the horrible moments she had witnessed.

"Julie, we can get out of here, I just need your help I saw a phone…"

"Are you kidding?" Julie said with wide eyes. "You don't get it, there's no out of there. I've been here, well I don't even know how long, at least a year, and there is no way out!" Julie was adamant. "I tried once." She pulled back her sleeve to show a long scar along her arm. "You don't leave. You don't try. Besides, there's no way - each door has three locks and after that door is another door. You only leave one of two ways."

The girl looked at Sweets with a hurtful glance and then ran from him, slamming the door as she left. He wondered what he had said or done, he figured it must have been renewing her sense of wanting to escape, and the hopelessness of it. It was easier for Julie to live in a numb world than try and think of how to be free from it. He realized she had no hope of leaving and he wondered if he could convince her otherwise - she was the one and only 'prisoner' who was able to roam free.

Sweets took a moment to look around the room, still dimly lit he could see rows of 'cages' like the one he was inhabiting. Some were made out of fence, others bars - it was obviously whatever material they had found and made more out of, made cheaply to keep costs down Sweets assumed. Sweets could see the door they were brought in, the other they were sent out of.

His attention was drawn away when the large door swung open and Julie appeared again this time carrying a bucket. One of Carter's henchmen sat another bucket down for her and pulled out a chair to watch whatever was about to go on. Julie walked from each cell handing out a piece of scrap food, another cost effective method Sweets figured. As she approached Sweets' cell he saw her reach for a larger scrap of food.

"No!" Carter shouted. "Next."

Julie placed the food back in the bucket and commenced her rounds. Soon the bucket was empty as people pleaded for her to give them more. She handed all out except for the three times Carter told her not to - one of them being Sweets. Sweets eyes narrowed with curiosity.

Carter called for her to bring the remainder of the bucket to the center of the room where she dumped it - revealing four times the amount of food. Sweets had a bad feeling he knew what was going to happen next. Carter's men opened two of the cages, two of the ones skipped and were soon given instructions - fight for the food that was left. Sweets figured they must have been skipped several times - now near starvation that they would do ask asked. The two frail women looked at each other and the offering of food. At first reluctant to engage they were soon amid a heated battle, an instinct having taken over that surpassed the urge to do anything else. Soon the one female was defeated. The other approached the pile of food almost primate like as the other girl, alive though defeated was taken out the door, apparently to her next destination along with three others from their cages. Sweets realized the maneuver didn't exist to prove any point, it merely amused Carter who had sat and watched everything.

* * *

Whether it was the same day or later that night Sweets didn't know. The lack of windows or doors or light or clocks made time impossible to tell. His loss and regaining of consciousness gave him no indication of time either. All he was aware was the squeak of the door opening awoke him as two of the men collected him from the small cell and pulled him along though with his cold and still slightly numb feet did little of the walking.

"Where to boys?" Sweets asked trying to stifle his fear of Carter's next payback.

Sweets was placed in a wooden chair, his hands tied behind his back though he had little strength to move anyway. He head lulled to one side as his body beckoned for more sleep but a hard crack across his face with something hard and wooden brought him to. Sweets looked to see a baseball bat in Carter's hands. _Could be the murder weapon from McLaughlin and Sager _Sweets considered _except if I don't find a way out of here soon that's not going to matter._

"Bring them in." Carter shouted as Sweets stomach clenched at what would be arriving. He felt bad that he was half relieved that it was no one he knew.

Standing before him were two women, one in her early twenties and the other the same age if not younger than Julie.

"Choose." Carter said.

"Choose what?" Sweets asked knowing this was anything short of a loaded question. "Which one goes free?"

Carter approached Sweets and hit him in the chest with the bat.

"There you go again, asking questions when I asked for answers." Carter said as Sweets struggled to sit up again in the chair. "That's what got you into trouble in the first place - not following simple directions."

Carter sighed and waited for Sweets to sit up again. "Choose." He said again in a very plain, almost friendly voice.

Sweets looked at the two, wondered what every possible scenario was he deduced none of them would be good.

"I choose me." Sweets said. "Whatever bad thing you want to do, just do it to me and leave them alone."

The two girls almost looked glad and yet tormented but Carter shook his head, and struck Sweets shoulder with the bat. He motioned for the two girls to be taken out the door towards the cells while Carter circled Sweets.

"Still don't want to be obedient I see." Carter said. "Really doesn't bother me any, I enjoy working on it."

"No you don't." Sweets said suppressing the grimace of pain that continued to emerge.

"Oh that's right you're some sort of shrink too aren't you?" Carter said smiling. "Tell me what's wrong with me doc!?"

"Well asshole, I'd say quite a lot."

Carter's smile faded and while Sweets knew it wasn't a smart move it was his only way to hold onto his independence and his mind and keep himself from slipping into Carter's demands for obedience. Carter slammed the bat into Sweets right knee, which Sweets wasn't prepared for making him wonder if the bone or the bat made the cracking noise. He leaned over in pain at the swipe trying hard to keep the screams inside when Carter raised the bat again.

"Sir!" One of the men said before Carter could continue his movements. "We have an issue, it's Rogers."

"What did that dumb shit do now?" Carter said heading to the door. Sweets tried to hear what they were whispering about but he could only hear the pounding of his heart and his chest. "Take him out. Make the call." Carter said stepping back in the room. "Wait, are they still there. I'm heading there now. Take him back." Carter said and laughed. "No need to be gentle."

* * *

Maybe a little dark? Reviews welcome.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

_Just love Sweets broken? Well a little more broken to come but not much torture since I think we covered just about every torture possible in "Misery in the Moment"._

**Sweets meets Julie, a young girl who is stuck in Carter's capture but has the freedom to walk about, not in the cells like the rest of them. She has yet to be shipped off with the others to labor or slave rings. Carter beats and tortures Sweets more but leaves when he gets the call that Sam Rogers is an issue and leaves.**

* * *

"Should we round up these people?" Gillespie asked of the patrons fleeing the bar.

"No, they're not going to tell us anything." Booth said. "We can get more from this phone. We need to get back to the Jeffersonian."

"You go, I'll stay here and get this taken care of." Gillespie said pointing to the dead Sam Rogers on the ground.

"We've got this sir." Two men said arriving. Gillespie looked up to see two of his officers on the scene.

"Can we trust them?" Booth asked under his breath.

Gillespie eyed the two men and back at Rogers on the ground. "Well he's dead so what else can they do with him?" Gillespie said and decided he could do more with Booth anyway.

"This may not be exactly by the book." Gillespie reminded Booth as they left the crime scene.

"Right now I don't give a damn about books." Booth said glancing at Rogers one last time. If Carter wanted Rogers dead for almost spilling some beans, he didn't want to imagine what Sweets was going thru right now. _We have to find him._

* * *

"Who is this tall drink of water?" Angela flirted with the older but handsome state trooper.

"Uh Ange, I'm right here." Hodgins reminded her.

"Oh Hodgins I'm not going to run away with…."

"John Gillespie." He said introducing himself as he blushed.

Booth cleared his throat.

"Did you find Sweets?" Brennan asked though she was sure she knew the answer.

"No, but we have something that might help." Booth said holding out the phone.

It was now in the early morning hours but no one showed signs of being too tired to go home, they had a team member to find.

"Whose is this?" Angela asked plugging in the phone to her computer. "If it's one of Carter's burner cells it won't get us far."

"No, it's one of his guys, Sam Rogers." Booth said eager to see if the phone produced results.

"Why didn't you just beat the answer out of the prick?" Hodgins asked with offense in voice.

"Someone shot him before we could." Gillespie answered for Booth. "Between the eyes."

"Oh." Hodgins answered gathering the seriousness of the answers to their questions being immediately buried with Sam Rogers.

"Well I see a lot of activity here." Angela said reading aloud. "Any direction to what I am looking for?"

"Anything." Booth said. "I think we all saw what Carter did to Sweets last time."

"Well I see the calls and can cross reference the towers they are at, but it's probably going to be a large area."

"Whatever the guy's doing he's kept it a secret for a while - I'm sure his hideout is the same." Cam suggested.

"Yeah but everyone slips up sometime." Booth said with no sense of giving up.

"We can't bait him into picking up someone else I'm guessing." Hodgins said. "Do you think the guy stopped doing whatever he's doing."

"He may lay low for a while." Booth guessed. "But he can't forever, but still we can't wait that long."

"What if we cross reference this information from Rogers cell with the missing people and with Carter's routes?" Gillespie suggested. "I can pull up all his routes and his records of who he picked up."

"But the people he's kidnapping won't be on the pickup list." Hodgins noted.

"No but we can look at the gaps between what he reported." Gillespie suggested.

"I like this plan." Angela said. "It's just going to be a lot of stuff to input."

"We have to start somewhere." Booth said looking at his watch at the sight of the sun rising. Carter had had too much time with Sweets already.

* * *

The lunch with Booth a couple of days ago was proving to not provide much fortitude for Sweets as he lay in the cell alone. He grabbed at his knee which was still sore but luckily not broken with shaking fingers. He was freezing on the concrete floor but there was little he could do about it.

He guessed it was morning as breakfast arrived but again he was passed over except for some water that was quickly passed to him staving off dehydration. He tried to bide his time that morning as he tracked the number of people who came and went. It seemed at the moment more were leaving than coming in and he suspected it was because Carter had to scale back his operation of picking up people with Booth and the rest onto his plan. Sweets had high confidence in his friends and highly intelligent coworkers that they would be able to find him. He also knew Carter had managed to elude any detection so far - and would have still - if it weren't for Rogers slip up. Sweets wondered if Booth would be able to find Rogers and Rogers could lead them there, Booth was very convincing Sweets knew.

The breakfast rounds were over and two men came into collect Sweets and return him to the office. He hoped to not be hung from the ceiling again. This time he was again placed in a chair, his arms tied behind him. Once the men left they pushed another chair next to him. Sweets looked over at the corpse with a bullet in his head, Sweets eyes widened at the sight. Carter sat working at his desk.

"I don't know if you two have met, Agent Sweets this is Sam Rogers, you may be familiar with him. He's the reason you are in this mess. You can thank him if you like, but I may have done that already for you." Carter pulled off some papers from a pad and handed them to the men waiting.

"Gillespie's onto you." One of them told Carter.

"I didn't like that job anyway." Carter said though it was obvious he didn't mean it. "I can operate from here. We need to step up our operations at the other locations."

"We won't be able to pick up trucks from the road for a while unless you want to go to using fake cars." The other told him.

"Yes, well that's why I have our friend here." Carter said glancing back at Sweets. "What will your people do now?"

Sweets lips broke to a small smile thru either amusement or pure delirium. "I'll tell you for that Danish on your desk."

Carter's eyes went to the Danish sitting on his desk and laughed. "Nah, you can tell me or my friend Louis here can get it out of you." Carter's eyes darted to the Louisville Slugger bat by his desk.

"That's not the best motivator." Sweets said uncomfortably confined to his seat.

"Oh I think it is." With a swift movement Carter jumped up and banged the handle end of the bat into Sweets stomach. "How does your stomach feel now? Hungry?" Carter laughed and sat back down.

"How's your knee?" Carter asked. "You've still got another one. Want to tell me about what your people will be up to?"

Sweets sucked in some air while he sat back up. He considered his answer.

"They will be tracking you down and when then do - not if, but when - they will lock all of you up for a _very _long time." Sweets looked at Carter's henchmen. "And in a place that's far worse that's this one."

The two men's eyes narrowed and looked back at Carter to get an indication of if Sweets was telling the truth or not.

Carter threw his head back and laughed. "You can't catch me. No one can. Especially not in the seat you are sitting in."

"I almost caught you, now you've got a whole team of pissed off people looking for you - the brightest in their field - they'll find you - all of you."

Carter's eyes narrowed and he turned to his men. "Bring me more. Lots more."

* * *

Sweets sat in his chair waiting for Carter to smack him around some more but to his surprise Carter only went to work and ignored Sweets. Despite his urge to stay awake and alert the psychologist found himself drifting off from exhaustion. His head jerked awake when the door flung open and Carter's "associates" arrived with a group of women.

"Line them up." Carter ordered. The men did as asked. "You found quite a group." Carter commented.

"Yeah, jackpot." The man answered. "That was a great lead."

"Of course, I know many places where there are lots of untapped resources." Carter said. "But too much more and we will be found out. I think we will need to be venturing into a new business soon."

"How's that boss?" The man asked as Carter noticed Sweets ears perk up.

"Children." Carter said and the single word made Sweets skin crawl. "Lots of money in adoption to people who can't adopt." Carter smiled at Sweets. "I know a few we could start with."

Sweets eyes narrowed and Carter knew Sweets was going to issue some sort of threat, which didn't seem all that scary coming from a scrawny and malnourished, beaten man tied to a chair.

"Now, onto our present business." Carter said motioning for one of the new victims to be brought forward. "Since Mr. Sweets here does not want to help us in the actions of his co-workers then he can help us here." Carter opened his log.

"What do you think Mr. Sweets, do you think she would be best served in the field of cleaning service or in the more personal services."

Sweets was stunned at the prospect of his new job, choosing what level of horrific slave trade these teenage girls would be forced into. Sweets shook his head to the negative, he was not willing to play a card in their fate. The sixteen year old was shaking as she looked to Sweets for help only to see the dead companion sitting next to him. Her heart rate increased as her panic grew.

"Fine, then ship her to Saline, he's particularly brutal but oh well." Carter waved the girl away who began to scream and Sweets tried to stand up in his chair only to find he could not be steady on his injured knee.

"Put him back up." Carter instructed his men in a calm voice while Carter denoted the transfer in his book.

One of the men pulled Sweets chair back up slamming it down and adding a punch to the face to accentuate the point.

"Who do we have next?" Carter said once Sweets was back in his confined seat.

"You're a monster." Sweets said as his head swam.

"I'm not the one making the decisions for these girls." Carter said pausing from his work. "You are."

"You know that is completely untrue." Sweets said thinking of how to diagnose Carter properly though a conductive thought process was hard to come by. "And you know it."

"All you have to do Mr. Sweets is be compliant." Carter said and Sweets knew that was a slippery slope to go down, once he did, in his present mental state it would not be easy to go back.

The next girl stepped forward pleading for Sweets to play along with whatever the game was.

"Fine. They all go into the maid service." Sweets said hoping that was the least dangerous fate.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, there's only so many slots for each." Carter explained. "They can't all go to once place. Yes, there are 12 girls, 3 slots for maid service, 3 for pleasantry service, 3 for companionship and the rest for, shall we say, a more commanding companionship."

Sweets considered the unfair job to he and the girls waiting.

"Each time you don't participate Mr. Sweets I'll have to stress to you how displeased I am." Carter said. Sweets was not only irritated at being called mister instead of all the work it was involved in earning a doctor title, but at the prospect of being beaten more and lessening his chances toward taking advantage of a chance to grab a weapon - anything.

"Maid service!" Carter shouted having waited too long on Sweets to make a decision. Carter nodded to one of the men who twisted Sweets pinky finger, breaking it.

Sweets wasn't prepared for the brutality and cried out at the pain and doubled over.

"You missed one opportunity for light duty Dr. Sweets. Looks like you'll have some harder decisions to make."

Sweets felt sick to his empty stomach as he looked at the lost girls.

* * *

"What do you mean you have nothing?" Booth asked Angela as he sipped coffee. It was nine in the morning and the coffee did little to quell his nerves. His gut told him things were bad with Sweets, hoping he was still alive - wondering if death would be better than anything Sweets may be facing. _Don't think that, Sweets can overcome anything, he's been thru a lot. Yeah, but how much can any one person stand?_

"I'm not a miracle worker Booth." Angela shouted back, the coffee making her aware but irritable as well. "I can narrow down that they are working in this twelve mile radius."

The team assembled when they heard the raised voices.

"What can we do to enhance the search." Cam asked. "Think people!" Apparently the nerves were at end on everyone.

"Whatever Carter is doing he's going to need resources." Hodgins said rubbing his eyes and thinking.

"Right a building, abandoned? A Front?" Cam said thinking.

"That's just about every building out there, we can't bang on them all." Booth said starting to feel defeated.

"Will the FBI give us more men to do that?" Gillespie asked. "I can't trust my men, Sam Rogers body is now missing."

"Skinner won't give me a thing." Booth said angry. "I don't know what he has against Sweets but he seems to have little interest in working to find him."

"Carter has to be hiding." Brennan deduced. "That means that wherever he is, no one has yet to suspect him. He wouldn't have utilities or anything else in his name. It's not so much that we need to find where he is, but what isn't in his name."

"So if he put it in his people's name then maybe we could find it." Angela said.

"Yeah, but we don't know all of who he has working for him." Hodgins reminded her.

"This isn't working!" Booth said angry and headed towards the door. He wasn't an inside sort of guy. "I need some fresh air." Though no one expected him to come back anytime soon - he would go door to door if he had to if it meant finding Sweets.

"What about more of his people, what about those two that were going to collect Sam Rogers body?" Cam asked.

"I've put an APB out on them too, but…"

"We need to find someone Carter has working for him and pressure them to tell us where he is." Angela said.

"That's great but the people we know of so far are dead." Cam reminded her.

"Agent Patterson." Angela said.

"Yes Ange, she's dead too." Hodgins reminded her.

Angela went back to typing. "No, I have an idea…."

* * *

Sweets collapsed back on the cold cement floor as the door and its creak swung shut. Sweets pulled his arm out from under him, sore from being tied in place and looked at his two broken fingers, thought of his sore body from the other assaults, wondered how much more he could physically and mentally take. The door creaked open again causing Sweets to try and back away though there were few places he could go. His vision was too poor to see who was entering. He felt someone touching his hand and soon realized no one was pulling him out. He felt something warm be slipped over it. He opened his eyes enough to see some warm knitted gloves, mostly missing fingers being slipped over his hands.

"It was all I could find, sorry we don't have any socks." Julie said and turned to leave. "I know you tried to help them. I'll try harder to find something warmer."

Sweets smiled a small smile to himself in the knowledge that there was at least one person here who cared, it almost made the single and silent tear that slipped from his eye seem less bitter.

* * *

Reviews welcome.


	15. Chapter 15

15.

**The team look to find Sweets, a task they are finding near impossible as Carter is well hidden. Sweets is trying to hang on while he adds on his injuries and the painful assault of making terrible decisions for other captors.**

* * *

"Agent Patterson's profile is correct, she did have some family but they have no whereabouts." Booth reported from his car to the group. He didn't know particularly where he was going or what he was looking for but he couldn't stand around in a lab.

"Right, well one thing that stood out for me is that Patterson has a lease in her name for an old plant on the west side." Angela explained. "I'm thinking that if Carter trusted her on his little scheme against Sweets - he's trusted her with some other valuable information."

"Sweets could be there." Booth said. "Give me the address."

"Not until you promise you have back up." Brennan said.

"I'll go." Gillespie said writing down the address.

"While I find you quite capable Mr. Gillespie I would prefer something like a small arsenal." Brennan said.

"I'll make the call." Booth said hanging up.

Booth called Skinner and while much arguing went on he was only able to obtain a dozen agents despite his claim that Carter could be holding many people captive and possibly have dozens of people working for him. Finding a dozen would have to do, Booth called Angela back and received the address. He headed there immediately.

* * *

Sweets head pounded but then he considered what body part didn't hurt. He felt like he had been left alone for a while and wondered where everyone was. He was exhausted not only from the poundings, a constant assault on his body and his mind but his hunger was reaching a new level. _If I don't get something to eat soon there is no way I'm getting out of here. _Sweets ability to thrive to survive was deep - the one thing he held onto for when it slipped he knew he was done for. _Rogers is dead, how will they ever know where I am? _Sweets wondered. _If I could get myself out I would but this place is like a fortress - there is no way out, I need help. I just have to hold on until hope can come._

Hope wasn't exactly the next answer when the door opened and the place began to fill with screams and calls for food as Julie appeared with her familiar bucket. Sweets, unlike the other prisoners who stood with hands out, laid on the ground while she passed. When she reached his door he noticed she stood and stared at him with sad eyes but once again she passed by. Sweets had the suspicion something was going on, it then occurred to him why he was being passed over for food, a suspicion that came true as the remainder of the bucket was dumped in the middle of the floor.

Sweets adrenaline was at full max when the door opened and one of the men pulled on him to come out. Though his one knee was still recovering and two fingers broken, along with a myriad of bruises and fractures he limped along, fueled by the fear and anticipation of what was going to happen next. The other prisoners made noises and sounds - screams and calls that were loud. Carter smiled as they all began to shout out.

Sweets turned as another man was released from his cell. Sweets looked at the pile of food - random at best - day old bread rolls, a variety of vegetables, all items that if they were in his own fridge at home would be trash but now they looked like a delectable feast - such was his hunger.

The other man emerged from the cell. He was fearful and scared, Sweets felt the urge to comfort the man until he saw the look in his eye. It went from Sweets to the pile of food, the urge for food was surpassing the desire to reason. Sweets wanted to suggest to the man that the most reasonable use of their energy would be to split the pile of food. But he could see the survival instinct was winning past all others. He looked at the man, wondering how best to approach this conversation but the man was mounting his assault.

Sweets figured that Carter knew he was in little shape to fight - this was Carter's way of merely issuing another beating for Sweets that he himself didn't have administer and foster hatred towards his fellow inmates. Sweets looked at the man and considered a few things - _it's him or me, I can't stand another beating and I need food if I want out of here. If I win, I can save this man another day - once I am free._

The man charged at Sweets who raised his arms and struck the man across the face. In the corner of Sweets eye he saw Carter sit up in surprise, he wasn't prepared for Sweets to fight back. Sweets looked back at the man with a burning hunger, he wasn't about to give up the fight either.

* * *

"Is this the place?" Gillespie asked walking up to Booth's SUV. Booth was outfitted with a black tee, a hastily added bullet proof vest and an intense focus on loading multiple weapons.

"This is it." Booth said concentrating on his weaponry.

"Where are the backups?" Gillespie asked.

"Twenty minutes out." Booth said adding his remaining fire arms.

"Shouldn't we wait?" Gillespie asked.

"I've waited long enough."

"Well hang on a second." Gillespie said and Booth wanted to argue why he didn't want to wait. "I'm a little light, mind if I load up?"

Booth stood aside, "please do."

* * *

The fight was nearly even, both men were growing tired which only increased their desire to eat. Sweets knew if he lost then Carter won. He was locked in the heat of battle with only his focus on winning now, to prove a point, to eat, to survive. The other man noticed Sweets knee was twitching - he came at Sweets weak knee and Sweets went down. The man then punched Sweets in the face but Sweets grabbed the man's ankle and pulled him onto his back, with an adrenaline rush he had little explanation for Sweets punched the man while he was down. He hit him again and again, his survival instinct becoming stronger. The man's head bobbed to the side, he had been nearly knocked out. Sweets was victorious.

* * *

"It doesn't have much light on it, but makes sense." Gillespie said.

"Look at these tracks." Booth said pointing to them. "Someone's been here recently, and a lot."

"Do you hear anything?" Gillespie asked.

"Let's go." Booth said advancing towards the door.

* * *

Sweets headed for the pile of food quickly and grabbed the day old roll from the top of the pile and shoved it in his mouth. The taste of the old yeast filled his mouth along with a small sample of blood from his cup lip. He chewed the food and looked back at the man on the floor. He was in tears as he watched Sweets eating over his pile of food. Sweets swallowed the bite of bread but it was too hard to swallow it and he coughed it up, he couldn't stomach it.

The adrenaline running off quickly he stood on wobbly feet and walked to the defeated man. The man cowered back not wanting another hit when Sweets held out the bread. Timidly the man reached for it when he saw Sweets eyes were not filled with hate. The man quickly took the bread and ate it. Sweets motioned towards the food, suggesting the man go towards the food and have it. The man quickly moved and began to eat it. Sweets looked up at Carter whose eyes narrowed at Sweets. He had not expected Sweets to win the fight, he certainly did not expect Sweets to give up the bounty.

"I will not become a monster like you." Sweets shouted.

Carter's eyes filled with a fiery stare and he motioned for two men to head towards Sweets. As they approached Sweets tried to stiffen for whatever came next but stood tall. The one took a swing at Sweets which he blocked but it was the last of his energy. The other man kicked him from behind, topping him to the ground as his back screamed in pain. The proceeded to kick him as the rest of the prisoners watched, changed by what had happened and shouted for the men to stop.

* * *

Booth raised his hand to Gillespie counting down. On the last count they placed the charge on the door that blew it off its hinges. Once the door was removed they ran inside.

* * *

"Enough!" Carter shouted at the top of his lungs. The men kicking Sweets stopped too for they weren't sure it was meant for them or the others.

"Silence of I hang him her and now!" Carter boomed again and the room silenced.

"Sir, we have an issue." Another man said to Carter who quickly left the room.

* * *

Booth and Gillespie stood in the room. It was silent. And it was filled with bags, boxes and assorted suitcases.

"What is this place?" Gillespie asked of the vacant room. "Looks like a storage facility."

Booth walked to one of the bags and opened it - clothes, toiletries and other items a person would pack to take with them.

"Personal items." Booth said.

"These must belong to the people Carter has taken." Gillespie said looking around. He and Booth stood in silence at the sheer large number of bags present.

"So where's Sweets?" Booth asked as backup arrived, unneeded.

* * *

The men tossed Sweets back in his cell, he rolled to a stop. A few more kicks to the stomach hadn't done much but the hit on his back was burning. Having surrendered his last attempt for food Sweets was now sure he was done. He lay on the floor, mouth bleeding, a cough was starting as his body shook from the cold, his torn fingerless gloves doing little good, his feet numb, his energy gone and hope fleeting. _I didn't really expect it to end like this._

Sweets closed his eyes and wondered when the end might come when a loud skidding noise came towards him. He opened his eyes to see a small black square in front of his face and barefoot steps running away.

He opened his eyes further and tried to sit up to see the device - a cell phone.

* * *

"I don't know how sir but they found the storage facility." One of the men explained to Carter as they were in the car on the way there.

"Keep a distance." Carter demanded. _How the hell did they figure that out. They might be as smart as that kid says they are. If they are, I've got to get rid of him._

* * *

Booth and Gillespie searched the building but no one was there. Booth called Brennan to tell them what they found.

"I'm sending Hodgins and Abernathy to collect some of the evidence." Brennan reported. "We could get names off the luggage, maybe some DNA to match them to missing persons."

"And then what?" Booth asked hopeless. "We know who he took but where?" Booth's anger was mixing with sadness. "Bones it's been two days…Carter he was angry… Sweets he can't be…"

"Don't say that Booth, we don't know that." Brennan urged him.

Booth took the phone from his ear to see a call was coming in, he didn't recognize the number but didn't want to ignore any calls.

"Booth here."

"Booth?" Sweets asked to be sure.

Booth's eyes lit up. "Sweets!?"

Gillespie stepped forward to make sure he heard Booth correctly. Gillespie called Angela's phone number he had given her, platonically to tell her to start tracking the phone coming into Booth's cell.

"Sweets where are you?"

"I don't know." Sweets said though Booth ached with each word Sweets said, he sounded completely broken.

"Are you okay Sweets?"

"Booth, can you track this call?" Sweets asked.

Booth looked at Gillespie who nodded that he was working on it.

"We're trying now Sweets, do you have any idea where you are?"

"No Booth, it's just a big building and I don't know …getting here…" Sweets words were getting confused. "Booth!" Sweets said suddenly. "I wanted to call because…"

"Yeah, we're looking for you Sweets, don't give up…"

"No Booth, listen… watch the kids..." Sweets was breathless from talking so much, his chest was seizing in pain.

"What?" Booth didn't understand.

"Carter, he takes people, puts them into slave trade, he knows you're …he's to start taking kids… Michael and Christine…."

"Okay, Sweets we're on it, just please hang in there while we keep tracking your signal….Sweets? Sweets?"

* * *

"Can you pick up what they are talking about?" Carter asked as one of his guys held up a noise tracker from the distance they were. "What did they find?"

"I don't know they're both on the phone." The man said listening more intently.

"What are they talking about?" Carter asked wanting to reach for the headphones but kept looking thru his night vision binoculars.

"They're trying to get some sort of signal." The man said trying to listen intently. "What, what did you say that guy's name was again?"

"Who? Lance Sweets? Why?" Carter asked.

"That guy keeps shouting 'Sweets hang on'."

Carter's face drained of its color. "Let's get back. NOW."

* * *

"Sweets, can you hear me?" Booth asked again. "Sweets, just hold on."

The phone lost connection but Booth waited a few moments more to be sure. He tried to call the number back but it went nowhere.

"Did they get anything?" Booth asked Gillespie.

"The pretty one is working on it. She said the signal is bouncing."

Booth wasn't filled with a deep hope that it was going to work, he knew of Carter using the burner phones. _Sweets is alive! _Booth rejoiced in his mind but he felt a sick reminder of the man's unsteady voice. _For now._

* * *

Julie took the phone from Sweets and was worried that the man's breathing became more shallow. She put a hand on his neck and still felt a pulse. He opened his eyes and looked her.

"What you did for him, no one's….no one's ever done that. Ever." Julie said of Sweets' fight with for the food.

Sweets nodded considering what Julie had just done for him.

"Will you get in trouble?" He asked considering the consequences too late.

"I think I can delete the call off." Julie said. "I have to hurry, they may be back soon."

Julie seemed to hear a noise so she backed away and out the door. The cell door was made of upcycled materials so when she shut it, it did not close completely. Sweets looked at the door that while shut, was not locked. He started to pull himself towards it to shut it so that Julie would not get in trouble when he looked at the mere opening as an opportunity. He left it, and waited, his heart pounding.

* * *

"What do you mean nothing?!" Booth shouted over the phone. "I was on the phone with him!"

"Yes and a signal that's bouncing like damn Wimbledon game!" Angela shouted back.

"We have nothing?" Booth asked hearing the faint tone of Sweets voice playing back in his mind.

"I'm afraid so."

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" Carter's voice could be heard thru the whole place.

Sweets could hear Julie get smacked to the ground and a small scream. He pulled himself closer to the door.

"Follow the plan dammit." Carter shouted, his voice getting louder as he reached the main room. "Get the trucks! They could be here any moment."

Sweets mind raced. _Did the phone call work? Wait, crap he knows I called someone, Julie! _

Carter emerged before Sweets cell with Julie in his grasp.

"Look at her one last time!" Carter demanded. "Where she's going you can't even imagine." Carter dragged Julie kicking and screaming behind him. Sweets got closer to the cell door to go after them but at this rate he would never make it. Soon the room was filled with more men opening doors, more doors than ever before. Something had spooked Carter big time.

"How do we know they know?" The one man asked Carter. Carter looked at Sweets for a second then back at the man who asked him the question.

"Just do as I say! Ship them all out!" Carter boomed back towards his office. "Except him!" Carter pointed to Sweets. "He's mine once we're done with this shipment."

Sweets heart raced even harder, he knew this was definitely going to be the end of him and it was going to hurt - bad.

_They're on their way _Sweets reminded himself, or Carter wouldn't be so spooked. _Are they really though? Could they get a signal? What if I just spooked him enough to think they are. If that's all it is, then I'm dead and no one will find these people again. I have to get out of here, I have to find Julie, all of them. I need that log book, and I need out, now!_

There were more prisoners than 'guards' but there was no way to make them realize that or organize them right now Sweets knew. Most of them weren't in the health to hold a revolt against the well fed and highly muscled help. Sweets watched as Carter directed people to the waiting moving trucks. He pulled the door of the cell open very carefully.

The weight he placed on his own body was intense but he pushed past all the pain, praying for a moment's reprieve as he slowly made his way to the office. The room was packed with prisoners being lined up, the guards were busy with them, Carter leading them and all of them sure Sweets was locked away, and unable to move. The door to the office was open, the confusion was working to his advantage. Getting the log book was easy, it was on Carter's desk. Sweets swept it up and walked back to the main room. The log book was the size of a novel but no one held anything in their hands. Sweets looked to put it in his pants but the dress pants that he had now worn for several days and once fit were now too large to hold the book inconspicuously. Needing it out of sight quickly Sweets merely held it under his shirt, under his arm. He quickly joined a line trying to keep his head down but his tall figure kept him too visible. He tried to walk slouched but it put too much pressure on his knees. The short distance was becoming much for his sickened frame, his vision blurred and he knew he was about to pass out.

As darkness beckoned and his knees weakened he felt a strong arm on him but it wasn't a painful grip like that of the callous henchmen. Sweets looked up to see the familiar face of the man he had hit, but given his food to. The man motioned for Sweets to keep his head down as he and another man placed Sweets between them. They knew what it meant if Sweets were to stay - Sweets knew what it meant if he were to be found with them. Still, if he made it out, somehow, he could get the log out, all of the girls, these people would all could all be found. That was if he could get his coughing to stop. He feared it would draw attention but soon he heard coughs from those around him. He soon realized that they had grown to know him, and what he was trying to do, and repay them in the only way they could.

The group was pressed closer together as they neared the door like a funnel that drew closer at the end. Sweets was squeezed tighter as they passed thru the door which while was easier to conceal himself was putting pressure on his entire body.

Sweets could feel a rush of cold air which not only helped to invigorate him but also told him he was nearly outside. He could hear Carter barking orders and checking off people going in the trucks - Sweets knew he couldn't go in the truck. As he drew closer to the door and the possibility of being seen two women broke out in a fight. Sweets wasn't sure why until one of the two men holding him up nudged him and motioned for him to make a run for it, the fight was a diversion.

The guards and Carter rushed towards the women and Sweets made a dash forward but didn't get far as a man was about to step out of one of the large moving tucks. He ducked under the truck and avoided detection but saw the fence around the property, the bright lights shining everywhere - there was little chance to go much farther undetected and his wobbly legs reminded him that going at it on foot was an unlikely success.

Holding his arm tight against the book the trucks resumed loading. He hated how they were being loaded as cattle but his voicing his opinion now would do little to help. Sweets noticed the underside of the truck had a lot of bracing. Hearing the trucks startup he knew he had little time so he pulled himself up onto the bracing and while it provided minimal support it did provide a beam to be on. With one arm on the book and the other holding the brace, his good knee wrapped around the other steel brace he held on as tight as he could as the truck began to move.

It would have helped however if he wasn't feeling so weak. With each wheel turn he felt the adrenaline wear off, his arms and legs grow more heavy. Falling wasn't an option though as the truck picked up speed.

* * *

Reviews welcome.


	16. Chapter 16

16.

_So the last chapter had some surprises? Glad to see I'm not completely predicable! __:) Let's hope for more...  
_

**Booth and Gillespie get an address to a warehouse in Patterson's name but it turns out to be a place where Carter stores the belongings of the people he has taken. Sweets is forced into a fight for food but after winning gives his spoils of war to the defeated man and inadvertently wins the affections of the other prisoners. Carter's attention is drawn to the knowledge that Booth has found the storage facility so he leaves. In his absence Julie provides Sweets with the cell phone, she is also impressed with what he has done in the fight for food. Julie is also aware Sweets health is rapidly declining. While observing Booth at a distance Carter finds out Sweets has called Booth, and suspects Julie must have given him the phone. They race back to the cells and take Julie away, but she has accidently not shut Sweets cell door completely. Carter is concerned Booth might be able to track them because of Sweets threat that they are the brightest at catching criminals, so he begins to move everyone. Sweets take the opportunity to escape knowing Carter will most likely kill him soon. The other captives help Sweets escape, but he only gets as far as the underside of the moving truck. **

* * *

Booth paced around the Jeffersonian while the rest of the team watched, feeling like errant children in trouble. They had been unable to locate Carter's burner cell signal which continued to bounce around. Booth's pacing appeared unlikely to stop anytime soon and no one dared to interrupt the treads he was wearing in the floor.

Every now and then someone would start to say something but not having a complete suggestion they kept it to themselves.

"At least he's alive." Angela finally announced. Gillespie offered her a 'that's nice' smile but Booth only glared.

"That phone call was three hours ago." Booth said suggesting it may not still be the case.

"Booth, we are all very tired." Brennan reminded him from his harsh tone.

"And based on how Carter treats Sweets I'm pretty sure that's he's more than a little tired too!" Booth shouted.

"Seeley, we all understand and care…" Cam said standing up to try and thwart the possible impending melt down.

"That's not enough Camille!" Booth shouted. "Sweets could be…." Booth didn't even want to say what the many possibilities were. "I promised him I would be right with him." Booth's voice softened as he recalled his promised. "I'm here and he's…"

Seeing Booth's shoulders slunk down renewed the realization to them all of how they felt about their youngest team member, and Carter's brutality.

"Right, so if we are so smart how do we not know more?" Angela said feeling the fight rise.

"Carter has had years to build his hiding place. Sweets has only been gone two days." Brennan reminded them.

"Yeah but two days with Carter is hell." Hodgins reminded her.

"All my people have either disappeared or aren't talking." Gillespie reminded them.

"We've run all the clues over and over." Cam said thinking of anything they had missing, coming up with none.

"We need a miracle or something." Booth said, never losing faith.

Angela's computer began to beep, gathering all of their attention.

"What's going on?" Booth asked quickly.

"Carter's using the burner cell." Angela said tapping away at her keyboard.

"Why? Is it a trap?" Hodgins asked. "Does he know Sweets used the cell?"

"Yes Hodgins, all of that information is right here." Angela said thru a sarcastic haze of exhaustion.

"Why is it beeping like that?" Cam asked. "Are we able to track it?"

"Not the activity itself but it looks like he is using it to gain internet activity." Angela said tapping. "He doesn't have a tracker blocked against the data usage, an easy mistake. But that's weird because he's never used the data before, only the phone."

"Angela!" Booth said not caring about technical specifics. "Is this something we can track?"

"What about Sweets? Could he have taken the phone and run or something?" Hodgins asked.

"Or is Carter playing some trick?" Cam asked, there were so many unknowns.

"The signal went dead." Angela said as they felt deflated. "But I have an area where it was used."

* * *

The darkness continued to blanket the street as Sweets continued to cling to the underside of the truck. He had hoped once he made it outside the gated area he could roll out when the truck stopped. The problem was, the truck had not yet stopped since they pulled out of the compound they were staying in. They had yet to pick up speed fast enough to be on a highway and Sweets was glad because he wasn't sure if he could hold on tight enough if the winds would pick up and place that much force on his tired body.

The book began to slip and Sweets tried to hold tighter to it - if he lost that book he would never find these people again. His muscles began to scream at the energy it was taking to hold on. He was sure he was going to slip - slipping meant his body and head slamming against the ground and if not dying on impact then being run down by the rest of the caravan of trucks.

The truck began to slow down though Sweets saw no lights suggesting they were near any populated area. He could hear a siren and the trucks pulled up to a stop. Sweets was ready to drop from the truck's bracing he was pushing to hold himself up on when footsteps passed by him.

"Hey!" The familiar voice of Carter shouted. The driver stepped out of the vehicle.

"What?"

"Did you take my log book?" Carter shouted in a furious tone.

"No!" The man said defensively.

Sweets could hear Carter's feet pacing along the pavement, the way he ground his feet in Sweets could tell Carter was pissed.

"He's gone." Carter said lowering his voice as the other drivers came closer from the other trucks.

"Who?"

"That damn agent!" Carter screamed.

"How?" The men asked in surprise.

Sweets was sure he couldn't hold on much longer and the quartet of men were right on the other side of the truck.

"If I knew any of that I wouldn't be here talking to you dumb asses!" Carter shouted. "I went back in and the book and the guy were gone. I found that app on my phone that tracked you to here."

"I didn't let him out." One said and the others quickly chimed in. "You said you wanted to take care of him.

"Oh and I will." Carter said a dark and terrifying tone to his intentions towards Sweets. "As soon as I find him."

"Maybe Julie took the book, let him out!" One of the minions suggested.

"Where is she anyway?" Another asked.

"I've got her with me." Carter said. "And she doesn't have the book, swears she doesn't know where he is."

Sweets felt a rage at the thought of him hitting Julie to get that information from her. Acting on that urge right now would not do any of them any good. But Sweets wasn't going to last long and they kept talking.

"Well he must be hiding there someplace, maybe waited till we all left." One of the men said.

"I've got Hadley there. We'll go over the place again." Carter said. "When I find him…."

Carter's voice was bloodcurdling as he headed back to his cruiser. Sweets was about to pass out when he heard the men start up their trucks one at a time. The book fell from his arm and no longer able to hold his spot on the bracing he fell to the ground about three feet below. The impact did little to hurt except it was landing on already broken bones and bruises. Sweets tried to catch his breath from the small excursion that left him breathless. Sweets could hear as the trucker ground the gear into first, if Sweets continued to lay there the second truck would see him lying on the wet pavement after the first one pulled away. Sweets looked to see the two lane road was not an option near the trucker's vision and looked to his left to see darkness. _It must be a ditch or something _Sweets reasoned with the possibility it was a drop off of a cliff - still, it was better than getting run over or found.

With the last of the energy he had he dug his elbows into the ground as the truck rolled back for a second. _Why does a couple feet seem so far _Sweets wondered as he pushed the last of his physical abilities to the edge of the road. The truck rolled forward as Sweets breathless got his arms into the wet dirt on the roadside. He was sure he wasn't going to be able to make it another inch when the truck went into drive with his lower half still on the road. Sweets dug his fingers into the wet dirt, his fingers hanging out of his gloves with the ripped out fingers. The dirt was cold, he had hardly noticed the chill having been delirious and preoccupied with his next move. The truck tire grew closer as Sweets pulled once more, the weight of his second half finally falling over his shoulders sending him barreling down the hillside. He came to a stop, happily not by the force of a tree or other structure and waited to hear if any of the trucks stopped - suggesting they had seen them. Instead he only heard the trucks in the distance getting quieter. _They didn't see me. _Sweets said listening for other sounds. There were no cars, no activity. _Where am I? _Sweets wondered and then worse, _where is the log book?_

* * *

"The signal was coming from this area." Brennan said looking at the map as Booth drove and Gillespie wondered why he was relegated to the back seat. "If I cross reference that there is some electrical service sent to an area just west of here."

"If Carter is hiding people he will need some services though he must be keeping it to a minimum. No water service?" Gillespie asked.

"No, just electric." Brennan reiterated.

Gillespie considered what conditions Carter was keeping people under.

"Just up ahead." Brennan said.

Booth pulled the car to a stop outside what appeared to be a desolated building.

"Bones you wait here." Booth said. "We're just going to look around."

"Booth if Sweets is here and needs medical attention…"

"Bones, we don't even know if this is the right spot, we've been wrong before." Booth said as he and Gillespie approached the dark building.

"What is this place?" Booth asked, though didn't expect an answer.

"Agent Booth." Gillespie said staring at something, Booth joined his side and raised a flashlight to see what Gillespie could see better against the moonlight. Booth saw what he did, a lot of very new wire running around the back of the building then even with the front which looked run down and abandoned.

"They don't want anyone running out the back door." Booth said shinning his light around to the back where everything was dark. "Those look like fresh tire tracks in the mud."

"Yeah, lucky for us it rained recently, we might not have seen them." Gillespie said looking around more.

Booth got out his phone. "I'm calling for back up. This place is starting to only look abandoned from the front."

Soon a cruiser pulled up to the front making Gillespie &amp; Booth jump when they saw Carter. Carter jammed the car in reverse pulling out the way he came in. Booth ran for the car but looked back at the building and the possibility Sweets was inside - if alerted by their presence - if he was still alive- what would they do? Booth didn't want to let Carter go - again.

Brennan seemed to be reading Booth's mind as she jumped in the driver's seat and quickly followed Carter's speeding cruiser. Gillespie watched as Brennan drove after Carter and while trying to mentally formulate a plan were disrupted when the door to the abandoned building opened and a man stood holding a gun.

"Down!" Booth shouted as the man began to fire but luckily in the dark the man could see little. Unfortunately for the man, he was standing in front of the door with light behind him allowing Booth to see him. Booth fired a shot into the man's leg but it didn't keep him from trying to fire his gun. An errant shot brushed past them and not wanting to chance it Booth fired again killing the man.

They ran to him but he was dead, Booth hoped he wasn't the only person that could help them find Sweets. Feeling there was no time for back up the pair ran into the building, it's multiple locked entries opened by Hadley. Booth &amp; Gillespie's hearts raced as they ran blind into the building but soon realized that there was no one there. The place was quiet, and empty.

Until a small scuffle could be heard. Booth put his finger to his lips asking for silence and Gillespie nodded as the two turned towards the sound. The steadied their guns and flipped on a light - frightening Julie who was tied to a chair. She screamed under a muffled gag. Booth quickly rushed to her.

"It's okay, I'm Agent Booth with the FBI. Are you okay?" He asked as the girl looked at him in surprise and a great hope that he was telling the truth. She was still afraid.

"I'm going to look around for more." Gillespie said.

"They're gone!" Julie said quickly.

"What? Who's gone?" Booth asked.

"Everyone. Carter shipped them out." Julie said and Booth began to take inventory of the skinny and frail girl's rather recent bruises on her face.

"Did Carter do this to you?" He asked.

"Yes." She said looking away. "He wanted to know where the other agent went."

"Agent?" Booth asked feeling the anticipation mount that she was referring to Sweets.

"Sweets?" He asked.

"Young guy? Kind, nice?" Though they were generic adjectives Booth knew it was Sweets.

"Where is he, you said they took him?" Booth asked.

"No." Julie said and Booth felt frustrated and confused, a combination he did not prefer.

"They took the others. Your friend, Sweets, he told Carter you were onto him, it spooked Carter and he sent them away." Julie explained. "I don't know how he got out."

Booth wanted to ask a million more questions but he could tell the girl had been thru so much. Another sound came and Gillespie and Booth pulled their weapons while Julie shrunk in fear but it was only Brennan at the door.

"I lost him." She said upset then saw the girl and rushed towards her. "Are you alright?"

Julie pulled away out of embedded fear and Brennan stepped back to give her space.

"Sweets? Where's Sweets?" She asked.

Booth shook his head but Julie seemed ready to offer more answers.

"Carter was mad, he thought I let him go." Julie explained. "I gave him the cell phone, Carter found out."

Julie's voice trailed off and Booth realized that's when the bruises must have come.

"Julie you said they took the others." Booth said. "What do you mean by others and why didn't Sweets go with them?"

"Carter didn't want him like he did the others. He was angry with your Sweets guy. He kept….it was awful….But he tried to help…." Julie's voice trailed off again and Booth's hope began to fleet though he was aware of his darkest fears of what had been going on there.

"Carter thought he took his book, I don't know what happened to the book!" Julie shouted having been asked repeatedly by Carter about it.

"What book?" Brennan asked.

"It's the book Carter keeps of where he sends everyone." Julie said and realized they didn't know what she meant. "He takes people then sells them."

"A slave trade?" Gillespie asked in total shock.

Julie nodded yes.

"That's where all those people went to." Brennan said with a sad realization. "We'll never find them." Brennan said.

"Yes we will." Booth said. "Because I _know _Sweets took that book."

"How's that?" Gillespie asked.

"Because Sweets knew that was the only way to track those people down."

"Right so where is Sweets?"

* * *

Sweets dug his hands into the ground as he tried to make his way up the hill. He was exhausted, his breathing so heavy that his chest ached but he had to find the book. He realized how unlucky he was that it had rained, the ground was wet - he had to rush to find the book, hope it wasn't getting ruined. He was about to give up when his hand touched the rough surface of a flat surface. Sweets pulled the item towards him and pried open a swollen eye. He couldn't read the pages but it was familiar enough, he had seen it over Carter's shoulders as he had hung from the ceiling - it was the log book. Sweets held it close as a light and cold rain fell. He was determined to keep the pages dry.

* * *

_Reviews, thoughts, suggestions, conversations, all welcome._


	17. Chapter 17

17.

**Carter has discovered Sweets is missing and tracks down the trucks. Sweets is still hiding under it but his strength gives out and he falls to the ground just as the trucks are leaving. He is able to crawl to a ditch but doesn't know where he is. Carter uses the cell to track the trucks from HQ where he is interrogating Julie. Angela tracks the signal down so Booth, Gillespie &amp; Brennan find the location and Julie though Carter eludes them.**

* * *

"So?" Booth asked hovering.

"What Seeley?" Cam scowled.

"Do you have anything we can use?!" Booth nearly shouted at her, exhaustion was wearing at all their nerves combined with the feeling they were not getting any closer to finding Sweets.

Cam stood up and stared back at Booth with an expression he did not often see, so much that he was distracted by it until her words made sense of it. "Yes, Booth, I found Sweets blood on the floor in the office along with epithelial on the chair, the back of the chair where it looks like he was tied to it. Hodgins also found rope, thick rope with more of Sweets skin on it – and not just on it but _in _it suggesting he was tied tightly to it – Julie filled us in – that's when Carter dangled him from the ceiling." Cam walked a few feet away and pointed to another room. "Here he was beaten again, with a bat, this bat, where his blood – along with Sager and McLaughlin's blood is on it. Now if you want to follow me I'll show you to the tiny, freezing cold cell where he was kept. There's _more _than enough blood evidence there to…" Cam's voice broken from her angry tirade to a quivering lip but before Booth could say more she walked away.

Hodgins walked in the room with a shirt in a bag, blood on it as well.

"Found this in the trash." Hodgins said having heard what Cam said. "It's a match too."

"I'm sorry." Booth said softly to anyone who might have heard.

"He's probably still alive Booth." Brennan reminded him.

"For how long?" Booth asked. "We've been just one step too late – every time."

"Sweets is resourceful." Angela reminded him. "I'd rather have him out there than have come here and found a…a…body."

"Except for one thing." Booth said coldly. "We're not the only one looking for him."

* * *

A violent shiver brought Sweets back to awareness. _You've got to get up _he reminded himself. _Don't want to _he argued back. _I just want to stay here on the cold wet ground and forget, forget about it all, it all hurts so bad. Yeah? Well how about those people? Are you going to turn your back on them? You're the only one who's got this book, it's up to you to help them._

Sweets head throbbed with aching as the pushed himself up. The pain of his broken fingers, his broken ribs and shattered knee that had grown numb were packed neatly inside a case he locked tight and buried away. The intense cold that cut thru him like a knife was to be forgotten, _pain is a luxury you can't recognize – pain makes you feel, it makes you real and right now you are numb. _

However long it took Sweets to mount the hill he couldn't have told you. Each planting of a bare foot in the wet and cold earth was one step farther than before, a step meant to save the lives of others. _Why, why are you doing this for them? Strangers! What do strangers care? Victims. _Sweets reminded himself, _who can do nothing of their own. Why do they become victims, they should have tried harder to avoid dangerous situations! _Sweets was angry at the thought that these people caused him this pain. _You know that's not how it works Lance. _Sweets regretted his thoughts. _Maybe Carter was right, right about whatever it is._

In that moment Sweets felt completely alone, holding a book full of names, full of lives that needed saving. _I can't save them, I can't hardly walk. Stop your whining! Move on, geez no wonder your friends keep you at arm's length and make fun of you – can't even save people. Can't do that as a shrink, so they say, all you gotta do is get the book to someone who can do more than you can. Can't even get over that metal corner crasher can you?_

It did little to help Sweets self-esteem when he topped over when mounting the metal material keeping cars from going off the road. As he laid on the ground he laughed at himself but it soon turned to near tears – he would have had to have some water recently to reserve enough for tears. _You thought they were going to come for you didn't you? Yeah I did. You overestimate one of two things – their ability or their interest in finding you. Your fear is that it's the second one isn't it Lance? You're alone – most of the time and they don't even notice, you're always at the edge, expendable and easy to write off._ Sweets rolled to one side and pulled himself up to his feet again. _You saved yourself, you always have, you're your own person – don't expect anything of others, only yourself. _Sweets hand held onto the metal as he walked along for support. _You can be alone without being lonely. Yeah right, sounds nice but lonely, lonely is the plan whether alone and bleeding in a cell or sitting in my office waiting for someone to call for a drink or to say hello, only no one ever does._

_Just get this book to someone and then go your own way. What was is that anyway? Hell maybe this life isn't for me anymore, not psychology, maybe just living in general. Hell, no one will probably even notice if I'm gone._

A car was in the distance and Sweets was ready to flag it down and hand over the book, ask them to take it to the nearest police station and then, well, the darkness of those thoughts weren't something he was ready to voice out loud right now. Only…only…_what if…what if that car is one of Carter's people, I'll be handing it right back to him._

Sweets quickly jumped back over the metal fence and laid low until the car went by. Once the headlights were gone the moonlight reflected off the ground again. With increasing numbness Sweets pulled himself up again from the ground and placed one foot in front of the other as he walked along the road. Did the road lead anywhere, he wondered. If it did take him some place was there anyone he could trust? He was starting to realize he didn't really even care. He knew that wasn't entirely true, _Julie, you care about Julie, and those women who fought for you, those men who helped you, those strangers who shouted for the men to stop beating you, the women you condemned to service on Carter's demands – you owe all of them._

Sweets continued to walk with two resolves in mind that increased in fortitude with each step. _Save them, trust in no one._

* * *

Julie hadn't witnessed everything that happened but she knew enough of Carter's behaviors to string the parts together she hadn't seen. The evidence served as a timeline along with her rendition but instead of information gathering on a case on someone they didn't know – this time it was more harrowing with one of their own. What was the most disturbing and concerning to them was her admission that Sweets health had rapidly etiolated by the time they were ushered out.

"Agent Booth?" One of the agents asked who had come to assist. "I'm not going to ask that you step away from the case, but I know how hard this must be."

Booth had hardly realized he had been holding the evidence bag with Sweets bloody shirt in it for some time - a shirt he helped him on with.

"I promised him." Booth said but not necessarily to the agent speaking with him.

"We all know Dr. Sweets, not as well as you, and maybe we never really showed it or said our thanks to him, but, but we're in this, whatever you need."

Booth nodded, he heard the highlights of the agent's words, it was just that they felt so empty, empty like his promise. _I've failed in the worst way. I shout how no one hurts my people – one of them may be dead – a lot of big talk on my part!_

Brennan laid a hand on his shoulder, whatever her husband's thoughts were she knew they weren't blameless. She didn't have great words of encouragement, she didn't have a great idea, she was just there so he didn't have to be alone. Booth felt her warmth and put an arm around her waist. He generally wasn't this affectionate while working but he needed it – he needed her. He drew great strength from her and was glad to not be without her, all of them. It only made him think more, _how can Sweets do it, how can he be alive, try? After all this?_

* * *

Cars came &amp; went, each time Sweets dodged them. His tired body now and then said to just throw himself on a car and take a chance – make a quick confession and hope it wasn't one of Carter's people out looking for him. _And let those people down? A second time? The ones who weren't assigned maid service – you're going to keep them working while you take an eternal nap? Push on loser, do something for a change. _Somewhere in the recesses of Sweets mind he heard a voice diagnosing everything he said but he imagined that shrink in his head being bludgeoned with a bat – the care and concern being beaten out of him, or was it a memory? It was all becoming fuzzy and he didn't want to think about it, he wanted to get to his destination, the final destination. He understood for a second the notion of the walking dead, a zombie propelled to move on though it didn't know why, it just moved, numb, one foot – mostly – in front of the other.

_Morning soon, a few hours probably, I can get the book to…where am I? Oh…I don't know…so confused. Post office, I can mail it…no postage…if no postage it will go back to sender…I make the sender and the receiver the same….send it to Booth? Someone who cares….who cares? Who cares indeed….. So confused, why do I bother?...Julie…help them, then bother no one anymore….right foot, left foot….one at t a time…._

* * *

_I do have an idea for another story, different again of course but I may take a break from writing these. I do promise to finish this one of course._


	18. Chapter 18

18.

_I know in my version of Bones, which I still don't own, the characters express more emotion and Sweets may be a bit more suave. Maybe it is OOC but I just think it would be nice if they did show a little emotion - they struck me as sort of rigid on the show. I guess that's the point of fan fiction though, alternate takes on them. Well, better see who's going to find Sweets first, Carter or Booth. What's your preference? __:)_

* * *

**The team discovers and collects much evidence at the compound – much of which suggests what physically happened to Sweets, however they have no insight into his mental state. They are frustrated they have no leads on Sweets whereabouts and Booth is increasingly concerned that Carter is also out there looking for Sweets and the log book. Sweets is trying to walk towards civilization and get the book to someone so the victims can be found however he is deeply paranoid that anyone he meets may be working for Carter. The result is a severely damaged mental state for Sweets along with a multitude of growing health concerns.**

"Ange, what are you doing here?" Hodgins asked his lovely wife placed in a navy blue work jumpsuit.

"I thought maybe I could go thru some computers – something." She said searching for a way to help.

"Well we haven't found anything yet." Hodgins said. "Looks like he only kept paper files."

"He's out there?" Angela asked, wanting to confirm her fears were true.

"Yeah. Somewhere. Both of them."

"Any luck?" Booth's voice rang out in the echoing room. The vast space once filled with prisoners was an abandoned fortress.

"No." Gillespie said hanging up. "He's disabled the tracked on his cruiser, put it on some other car – just scared the crap out of a traveling salesman – Carter put the tracker on his car."

"Wait, don't the cruisers have laptops?" Angela asked.

"Yeah, to run plates, background." Gillespie answered.

"And they use Wi-Fi, satellite." She added.

"He'd just bounce that signal." Booth said dismissing the thought.

"Not on a cruiser, he'd have to have it on to show he was working." Gillespie explained.

"You think he would be out in his cruiser?" Booth asked.

"He could be coming unpredictable." Brennan considered. "He's knows we are onto him, he's moving his captures, he's hunting Sweets – he may do things that are not the most logical."

"Sounds very psychological Dr. Brennan." Cam mocked but they all turned to hear a scuffle – Angela was prying a laptop away from an FBI agent. The agent who spoke with Booth earlier nodded that it was fine and the tech reluctantly he handed it over.

"We can track where Carter is. If he's looking for Sweets we'll get an idea where he is." Angela explained.

"This time I don't want to be a step too late." Booth reminded her.

* * *

Sweets thoughts had stopped. If he had been able to put thoughts together he would have commented that his mind sounded like crickets. He had ceased thought, cares, motivation, just walking, avoiding people, movement – always movement. So very badly he wanted to lie down and sleep but he knew ceasing movement would make it so he could not move again.

Sweets had walked miles, the rain and overcast was keeping the morning's sunrise at bay greatly with it's dark gray skies. It left Sweets in a constant state of thinking it was still night – one long and endless night. His head would snap back, nearly asleep on his feet, feet that kept moving, one in front of the other, one step at a time.

The noises changed, commotion, Sweets heard commotion – there were people, maybe, cars, he heard cars…lots of them. A diner was ahead, a small town. _Carter's people _Sweets thoughts resumed like gears going back to work. He moved to the edge of the town, he felt like a bright beacon - a target and wanted to hide, _Carter will see, he always sees…he will hurt them…book…phone…_

In this day and age pay phones were about as rare as gold deplumes so that wasn't an option. He was pretty sure he would be turned away from 'just making a call' at any business with the way he was sure he looked. Instead Sweets found a tiny gas station and waited.

* * *

"Well I see where Carter's cruiser was about a half hour ago." Angela said using the cruiser's WI-FI signal to locate him.

Booth felt like they might be getting closer and increased his pacing speed and took up biting a couple of fingernails.

"If we can…"

A phone began to ring and Brennan quickly realized it was hers. "Yes, this is Dr. Brennan who is this? How did you get this number?"

Brennan's tone had garnered the interest of the rest of the team and they paused what they were doing.

"You gave it to me Dr. Brennan." He added with a delirious laugh.

"I don't know who this is." Brennan stated plainly but in a way it hurt a little that she didn't know him, he didn't realize the real reason.

"It's Dr. Sweets, Dr. Brennan."

The formalness and deadpan of his cracked and mangled tone had confused Brennan.

"Sweets?" She asked to clarify earning tremendous interest from the others.

"Yes." Sweets said. "I need you to…"

Brennan could hardly hear more her heart was pounding so hard - or was it interference?

"Sweets, where are you?" Brennan asked.

"I, uh, I don't know. It doesn't really matter." Sweets said though he was still cutting out. "I have a book, I need you to get. They could find me at any moment, the book is the important thing." Brennan realized it wasn't Sweets connection that was cutting in and out it was his voice itself. He seemed unaware it was doing such. "Look, I can't explain it all right now, they might find me." Brennan could sense a hint of panic in Sweets' voice but mostly he sounded exhausted - and worse - defeated. "You need the book to find the people, please find Julie."

"Julie is here with us!" Brennan said hoping to create a stir in Sweets monotone and drained voice.

"Is she alive?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes! Yes, she's been helping us, she told us about the book, Sweets we know about the whole thing."

Sweets breathed a sound of relief. "And Carter?"

"We were unable to retain him." Brennan said though it pained her to do so.

"I've got to go." Sweets said upon hearing Carter was confirmed to be on the loose.

"Sweets, wait where are you?"

"The book, right you need the book, I'm leaving…I…the book, I'm at a small town gas station, I'm going to put it behind the ice machine here, I'll bury it with the phone, I'll leave it on, you can track the signal. It's stolen, I uh, I stole it from a car…" Sweets sounded tired again.

"Sweets where are you going?" Brennan asked. "Sweets you need to stay with the book and the phone." Brennan urged. She didn't understand why but she could tell that Sweets was obviously not thinking clearly.

"No, I'm sorry, I can't risk him finding me with the book. I'm sorry Dr. Brennan."

Brennan cringed inwardly, his voice was empty, uncaring - not the person she knew. He sounded lost as if in tiny fragments.

"Then I'm not coming for the book." Brennan declared adamantly.

"These people need your help Dr. Brennan." Sweets said coldly as he was losing interest in the conversation, no he was lost interest in the fight to continue on.

"No Sweets they need _your _help." Brennan said hoping to stir something in him she hoped still existed. "I need for you to stay with the book and the phone."

There was a long pause while they silently wondered why Sweets wasn't interested in being found.

"Fine." Sweets said finally. "As long as you promise to help them. Now I'm getting out of sight, just in case."

"Keep the phone on so we can track it, in fact, don't hang up, the signal will be stronger." Brennan wasn't sure that was true but she liked being connected to Sweets having looked for him for so long it was the only tether they had and it was thin as it was.

"I've got a signal, I think." Angela said.

"Sweets we are on our way." Brennan said but there was no response except for some noise. "Sweets?" She asked again.

Booth took the phone from her hand which gained a slight tremor. He put the phone to his ear and listened. "I hear a car go by…he must have the phone in his pocket."

"I've got a signal, we'd better go in case we lose it." Angela suggested feeling very anxious as they headed towards the door.

"Hey Ange, can anyone else track that signal?" Hodgins asked.

Angela knew who he meant. "Let's get going."

* * *

Sweets drug his feet along the alley of the small town. It was a town that time seemed to have forgotten, straight out of the pages of history. The main drag was lined with old brick buildings and a few people milling about. Wanting to keep out of sight he stuck to the side streets, of which they were few to remain out of view. The cloudy skies darkened even more to look even more like rain was a possibility. He came across a building where the back door was falling in. He welcomed himself in, figuring if there were vagrants there couldn't be many in this small town. The brick structure had a lean to it and Sweets could see why it had garnered little interest in occupation, the back was missing large sections. _This can't be safe. _He said looking at it briefly before entering -he didn't really care if it fell down. The place looked to be an old bakery with the large oven in the back too large to remove so they remained and deteriorated over the years instead. He opened the long and slim oven door to see it was dry inside and placed the book in the oven's opening. Should Carter show up he planned to not be holding the book and thus have ultimately failed. _Just stay awake until Brennan can get it. _He came upon a leaning staircase and decided that being above would be best - there he could see if anyone was coming. He held close to the wall should the stairs collapse and headed to the rear of the building where the large window let in the most light. He remained at the back of the building because the floor was missing in the middle section that led to the front. _They should really have this all taped off, torn down _Sweets said to himself but doubted the town had the money to do so, _they probably figure people are smart enough to stay out. _Sweets laughed to himself as he leaned against the wall and looked up to see the rain threaten to rain. Wanting to stay out of sight he slid slowly down the wall so he could sit on the floor. It had been so long that he had stopped from moving, even while on the phone with Brennan he had kept moving, movement could have stopped him - for good. But now, now the movement stopped and he felt a blissfulness he hadn't in a while.

"Sweets!" He could hear a distant voice shout but it was muffled. He ignored it twice but it persisted when another female voice joined in. He looked to his pocket which had lit up. He sighed as he doubted the noise would stop and he was enjoying the solitude of the rain hitting the window pane as it no longer contained glass.

"Yes?" Sweets asked struggling to hold the phone to his ear.

"We're not getting a signal that's strong enough to pinpoint, where are you, can you give us something to go on?" Angela said.

Sweets sighed, nothing had been easy about this, he just wanted them to get the book. "I don't know, it's a small town."

"I can see that, we're almost to Petersburg." Angela barked.

"It's an old building. Abandoned. Falling down."

"Why the hell are you in a building that's about to fall down?" Hodgins asked since Sweets was on speaker.

"It's nice, it's quiet."

"Well can you pinpoint us a little more?" Brennan requested.

"Bakery. Some old bakery." Sweets said. "Something in the oven." Sweets vision was blurring and his hand was too heavy to hold the phone now and it fell beside him.

"What's he talking about?" Angela was saying on the other end.

"Yes. What on earth _is _he talking about?" Carter asked standing over Sweets whose eyes were now wide open, almost as wide as Booth's who heard Carter on the other end of the phone.

* * *

_I want to express my extreme gratitude to those who have supported this story and others, it has been greatly appreciated. Hopefully another update in a few hours with what happens next...  
_


	19. Chapter 19

19.

_Sorry for the shortness of this chapter but I did promise another update today and for me that's 28 minutes left on 'today'._

**Sweets steals a phone from someone at the gas station &amp; calls Brennan. Sweets wants them to get the book but his attitude is failing quickly. Brennan talks him into staying with the phone and the book and he agrees. He finds an abandoned building to hide out in while they locate him because he doesn't know where he is and for the most part, doesn't really care. He finds a dilapidated building that used to be a bakery and places the book inside the old but dry oven so he that there is distance between himself and the book should he be found, which he is, by Carter.**

* * *

"That's not who I think it is." Hodgins asked from the back seat.

"You bet it is." Carter said into the phone which abruptly lost connection.

"Angela, can you get us to where Sweets was before we lost the connection?" Brennan asked from the passenger seat.

"No, the transmissions were spotty even before them."

"Think people!" Booth demanded.

"He said an old bakery." Cam said. "We know he's in Petersburg."

"Right." Angela said tapping away. "Here! About fifty years ago there was a bakery that was in Petersburg."

"Address Angela!" Booth said as his accelerator met the floor and everyone double checked their seat belts. Booth knew it wasn't important right at the moment but he couldn't help but figure out why Sweets had called Brennan this last time, instead of him.

* * *

"Thought you got rid of me huh?" Carter asked as Sweets tried to back track away from him on his back looking up at Carter. "You thought you were some sneaky mother…"

Sweets made a break to turn over and run but Carter pulled on the back of Sweets' already flimsy sweatshirt and pulled him back. He pushed Sweets up against the wall and came close to his face. He held Sweets up mostly by placing Sweets neck in the palm of his ginormous hand.

"You'll never be rid of me kid. Every time you run, I'll be there." Carter warned. "So it's best you stop running isn't it?" Carter punched Sweets in the gut and dropped him to the ground when he hit him twice more in the stomach. Sweets lay on the ground seeing thinness of the floor around him. He realized just how fragile this second floor actually was.

"Those friends of yours are a hoot." Carter said backing up and laughing. "Always a bit to late – every time."

"Carter?" Sweets said in a tired and pleading tone. Carter came closer to listen to the whinny plea.

"Yes?"

"Go to hell." Sweets said pulling back letting Carter take one more step forward on the fragile floor, his leg going thru the floor trapping him in place long enough for Sweets to make a run for it.

Sweets making a run for it was mostly a common phrase more than an accurate description of the action. Sweets hobbled forward but the last of his strength had gone when he sat by the window. He made it to the top of the steps and turned in time to see Carter pulling his leg out of the hole. Sweets' feet gave out as he tumbled down a couple of steps breaking bones that bordered on fractured before. He stopped himself by grabbing the railing with one arm and wrapping an arm around the rest of his broken midsection with the other. Carter ran to the top of the steps but they top section had given way with Sweets fall. Sweets was resting on the middle section which remained.

Sweets tried to put the pain back in the box he had carefully constructed over the last few days to hide it away, he hadn't had time to deal with it. Now however the box belonged to Pandora and the lid wouldn't go on and instead he found himself paralyzed with pain. Carter scuffled along the top steps trying to figure out a way to get down to the bottom, but more so to Sweets.

"You're going to give me that book boy!" Carter shouted from above. "You've got more bones I can break for you to tell me to find it."

Sweets looked at the arm holding his insides tightly together and carefully studied his hand. Carter was curious what Sweets was doing, he ignored his two broken fingers and carefully positioned his middle one and held it out for Carter to see.

"You punk ass…." Carter said when Sweets began to laugh only it proved too painful and he went back to holding his chest in.

"You know I'm going to get you – and you know what I'm going to do with you when I do!" Carter shouted and Sweets decided it was time to maneuver down a few more steps. Carter was angry and decided to take a ballsy move and jumped from the top to the edge where Sweets teetered. Sweets immediately felt the impact as the robust man caused another section of the steps at the bottom to collapse. Carter grabbed Sweets for if he was going down he was taking the psychologist with him. Sweets only option was to lean forward and tumble down a few more intact steps hoping Carter would fall the other way down a steep drop. Instead Carter followed suit and lunged at Sweets, the two stopped close to the edge when Carter began to choke Sweets. The two teetered on the small platform between the two missing sets of steps.

"Sweets!" A pair of voices called out from the first floor but Sweets was busy teetering on the edge of the precipice. The mangled steps lay about leaving Brennan and Booth little options to get to them. Booth pulled his gun and aimed it at Carter.

"Let him go!" Booth shouted.

"Better listen." Sweets tried to say. "He's a sniper."

Carter pulled his face closer to Sweets making it harder for Booth to shoot him without hitting Sweets.

"Where's my book?!" Carter shouted but let some pressure off Sweets neck so he could speak.

"Wrong answer." Carter placed pressure on his neck again while Brennan ran to get help from the others who were searching nearby buildings if they were to have gone in the wrong one. She ran in the direction of the back door when she passed a large oven with curiosity.

"Let's try again." Carter said.

"Don't you get it, I'm never going to tell you." Sweets said gasping for air while he could, hearing distant sounds of Booth trying to construct something to get to him.

"If that's the case…" Carter said and let go of Sweets neck but pushed his broken body over the edge. Carter pushed Sweets over so that only his arms were on the surface, his legs dangled over the edge, his broken chest pressing against the jagged floor.

"Sweets!" Booth shouted seeing the man dangle from above.

"Last chance." Carter said but Sweets dark chocolate eyes laced in red held their steely resolve. "Fine." Carter said letting go but Sweets fingers dug into a hole in the floor holding on.

Carter shook his head. "You always find a loop hole don't you? You need to just give up." Carter stepped forward to crush Sweets fingers making him fall the lengthy drop to his sure death when the floor shifted following with a missed gun shot, one that would have hit Carter should the floor have not begun to give way.

"That's my exit." Carter announced and turned towards the crumbling floor above. "Your choice agent Booth, him or me." Carter jumped catching a section of the floor above.

Booth went to fire again but Sweets was losing his grip fast. Booth put his gun away and quickly went back to assembling a scaffold from before. He looked back up and Carter was gone from sight but he could hear him above. _He's got nowhere to go, I'll get him later but first Sweets._

"Booth, the book, it's…" Sweets said nearing what he perceived as his end.

"Hang on Sweets you can get it yourself." Booth climbed his first layer of scaffolding though the psychologist was still farther above him. "Dammit." He said looking for more wood.

"Booth, the book, I …." Sweets tried to say again but he couldn't speak nor hold on. Booth watched as Sweets grip began to loosen and quickly picked up a long board and threw it in place in time for the psychologist to slide down it like a slide and towards Booth. The momentum was too fast with Booth barely able to grab him in time for them to both fall off the scaffold to the floor. Booth scowled in pain of landing on his back but hadn't had the wind knocked out of him. He coughed as he looked up and saw that the fall wasn't great but wasn't near the drop Sweets would have faced otherwise and he was grateful. He turned to see Sweets on the ground next to him, laying in an awkward position, motionless.

"Sweets?" Booth asked when footsteps ran closer to him and he jumped up, his back a poor reminder of his recent fall.

"Oh Bones you scared me…" Booth said.

"We need to get out of here now." Brennan said but the building's creaking and groaning was doing the talking for her. "Oh God, Sweets." She said hovering over him. "We shouldn't move him." She said studying his position but Booth looked up into the shifting beams.

"No choice." Booth said collecting part of the man while Brennan flung the other arm over her shoulder as they headed out the front door where the others were waiting.

Carter found no way out of the second floor and made a jump back for the platform. He was lucky to find a slide and made his way down it and onto a scaffold that soon collapsed as he headed to the back door, opposite the direction of the others who hadn't seen him yet. He passed by the oven and recalled Sweets talking on the phone, _something's in the oven _he flipped down the lid and saw nothing. The ceiling collapsed above.


	20. Chapter 20

20.

**Carter inflicts more pain on Sweets who almost escapes when the harsh movements cause the fragile building to sway. Sweets makes a jump for it but so does Carter smashing vital sections of the stairwell when he does. Booth &amp; Brennan arrive but are soon faced with the only options of saving Sweets or catching Cater. Choosing Sweets they are able to escape the building as it collapses behind them.**

* * *

As the dust literally settled the commotion was already present in the street below. Onlookers had gathered and Cam and Gillespie assembled teams of people they felt were trustworthy to show up at the scene.

Brennan cleared some dust from her eyes while Booth coughed away some that had infiltrated his lungs. Once oriented they turned to the figure that was placed between them - face down. It was a paradox, in some ways it had seemed forever since they had seen the psychologist and in others it seemed an eternity.

The threatening rain began to fall quite quickly which while it forced the dust out of the air made everything else difficult. Brennan watched as Booth advanced to turn Sweets over but she put out her hand to pause his abrupt movements. Instead she carefully placed a hand over his neck and across his back. Booth was impatient but he knew of no one better than Brennan to look for a broken neck. She nodded but didn't take her eyes off Sweets as they softly rolled him over. No one said anything as the unconscious psychologist lay face up now, all of his bruises and cuts shining in their horrifying glory. Booth turned considerably pale as his guilt deepened while Brennan tried to separate the duty to diagnose from the knowledge that under the frightening acts of violence was a man she considered a friend.

"Oh God." Hodgins said as he looked down. "I don't know what I expected but I didn't expect…maybe I did…I…what can I do?"

"Was Carter upstairs when you guys ran out?" Cam asked approaching them now as well, trying her best not to look at the mangled profiler so she could still be effective on the case for now.

"I don't know, I think so." Booth said though his eyes were glued to taking an inventory of each of the injuries.

"I'm going to secure the area." Cam announced and felt quick to leave before she either threw up or burst into tears, or both.

Hodgins quickly followed. "I'm going to get a team here to start searching for Carter's body."

At the mention of Carter's name Sweets eyes opened though they twitched as he tried to hide the painful sensations he had awakened to. He instantly tried to sit up and Brennan was surprised that he was even mobile based on what she was seeing. Booth followed Brennan's lead of trying to urge him to lie back down until she could examine him.

Sweets shook his head. "Carter. Have to go." He mumbled as his body moved to what his mind failed to comprehend.

"It's okay Sweets, we're here." Booth said trying to calm him down, he could feel Sweets heart racing against the palm of his hand he was gently pushing against his chest to get him to rest.

"NO!" Sweets said not allowing himself to be lowered. "He'll see, can't be here." Sweets eyes though bruised and cut looked everywhere, searching. Booth instantly sensed Sweets' paranoia and having learned only a glimpse from Julie what had gone on, he couldn't fault Sweets actions. He also couldn't promise that Carter was dead, the man had proved to be a slippery fish more than once.

"Bones, how about we get Sweets off the street?" Booth's suggested was two-fold, for one he didn't think the wet and cold street was the best place anyway plus it might calm Sweets' nerves if they were not in plain sight. An ambulance had yet to arrive but Brennan spied a small vet clinic on the corner. It was farther from the other locations but she was sure she could secure some supplies in the small and secluded space.

Booth saw where she was looking and nodded. "Okay Sweets we are heading down the street okay? We're going to move you slowly."

"No, let's hurry." Sweets said trying to stand but the adrenaline gone his body had little ability to act on itself. Brennan still felt strongly against moving Sweets but recognized the rain and street were not the most favorable of conditions.

Once Sweets was vertical though once up couldn't hold his own weight and began to slip. Once she looked down at his feet she began to see why, Booth's eyes followed, having not noticed that Sweets was barefoot in the cold _and _having walked great distances.

"I've got him." Gillespie said walking up behind Brennan and taking the other half of the man's weight. Brennan nodded, still in a moment of shock as she ran ahead to the vet's office. She had concentrated on Sweets' vitals such as the chest, the face for air and heartbeat. She knew some of what to expect based on Julie's testimony but still to see it in person, on the person she knew well, was no less shocking.

As they began to walk away from the building Sweets looked back at it. "No! The book, I've got to go back." Sweets said but his body flat out said no.

Booth didn't really care about much else than getting Sweets taken care of but he was becoming difficult in his quest to return to the scene.

"I have it." Brennan said and pulled it from a flap inside her jacket. Sweets hand went out to touch it since he could barely see by now but though the book was right in front of him he couldn't grasp it. It was then that Brennan noticed the distorted fingers. She bit her tongue at the sight and placed the book at Sweets' chest and laid his arm across it. It made it harder for Gillespie to help carry him but it calmed Sweets considerably to know it was near.

By the time they reached the vet's office sirens began to wail down the street gaining Booth &amp; Gillespie's attention, Brennan noticed. They went in to the shop where the Veterinarian, Bob, was startled. He had been in the back and hadn't heard the noises going on, he had been working of fixing a dog's broken leg. He quickly moved the dog to another table so they could set Sweets down.

"You're needed at the scene." Brennan said to the two law men.

Gillespie quickly nodded but Booth seemed torn. "I should stay."

Brennan lowered her voice hoping Sweets couldn't hear her. "No, I've got this. You need to make sure that none of Carter's people show up there first. You need to find him, for sure."

Booth nodded and enlisted the Veterinarian's help at the scene leaving Brennan alone with Sweets and the few animals that were there. The air was thick with an old and dank building which also smelled like wet dogs but her senses shut off to that as she concentrated on Sweets.

She made quick work of checking his vitals, off of which checked out within reasonable ranges. She ran her hands along his neck then down to his shoulder when he flinched. She looked at the old and tattered sweatshirt and found scissors to remove it then the threadbare gloves that missed the digits on most of them. Sweets shivering alerted her to locate a blanket though old and torn was still better than the clothes he had been wearing. She covered him as best she could and silently went back to work.

With the sweatshirt gone she could see the deep damage down to the shoulder blade and remembered the baseball bat, _most likely the offender to this injry _she cateloged to herself. There was nothing to reset in the bone, it was damage to the skin and muscle that caused the most damage. The looked at his arm, peppered with bruises down to his hand with the disfigured digits. She pursed her lips before issuing a warning. "This is going to hurt Sweets." She hated to see how he nodded but the resigned look of 'really? more?' stung at her insides. With as quick of motion as she could she popped the fingers back to a proper position and used an combination of tongue depressors and medical tape to set them in place in a make shift splint.

She moved seamlessly over the rest of his body, from his other arm back to his head where she gently inspected each bruise and cut though most appeared to not be indicative of a head injury that was terribly serious - Carter put most of his force into Sweets chest. His face was still littered with a black eye, cuts on his forehead and a split lip but the chest was by far the area with the most injuries. Brennan noticed that Sweets eyes followed her every moment, each time she touched him he instinctively grabbed the book only to relax a second later.

"Sweets would you feel better if I told you everything I was doing?"

He shook his head no, he didn't want to know how bad he was. His thumb caressed the cover of the book as his mind grasped at thoughts.

"You need to stop." He said earning an arched eyebrow from Brennan. "The book, they need to be found, now, not this."

"We will get to them Sweets, I promise." Brenann said continuing her inspection.

"No, you don't understand." He said trying to sit up again but she quickly pushed him back down. "They could be lost if we don't get them now."

"Okay." Brennan said. "Once Booth gets back we will get to work on this."

"Where is Booth?" Sweets asked lying back down and fighting exhaustion.

"He is investigating."

"Carter?"

"Yes." Brennan answered honestly. "Sweets I know before we failed you, but he's not going to come after you again."

Sweets nodded but he didn't seem convinced. Brennan thought he must have found some solace in the idea because for the first time since she had seen him again he was relaxed enough to rest. She went back to work pulling shrapnel that was embedded in his feet.

* * *

Brennan pulled the blanket more closely around Sweets as he still lay sleeping. She had added a makeshift pillow and wished there were something better than the steel table to lay on. She imagined all this was a four star hotel compared to Carter's captivity however. She sat next to him for a moment until Booth and Cam came in the door, the bell over it letting out a sweet ring to alert of a visitor's presence. She hadn't noticed it before - too busy on other things she considered.

"How is he?" Cam asked stepping the closest first. She noticed that he looked better, better than hell anyway as Brennan had removed a layer of dirt from his face along with old and dried blood. His face looked somewhat restful and Cam didn't cringe as much to be this near to him this time.

"He is …. stable." Brennan said picking her words carefully. "He has sustained a high number of injuries _but _ I am confident in time they will all heal completely."

Booth nodded, _we didn't lose _him thought to himself but something nagged at the back of his mind that he could not define.

"We still need to get him proper medical attention." Brennan explained. "I've used as much of what I can here including some near expiration morphine."

A slight moan made their attention turn but it hadn't come from Sweets, the mutt with the broken leg was stirring from his surgery. Booth went over and patted the dog and rubbed his ears. It was soothing in a way that he finally felt like he could _do something_.

"How is it at the crime scene?" Brennan asking having noticed on the clock that several hours had gone by. Cam &amp; Booth looked at each other with long faces.

"We didn't find him." Cam said with a heavy breath.

"Hodgins had them combing over every inch." Booth promised her. "Gillespie and I had teams of only people we can trust. He's not there."

"Should we tell Sweets?" Cam asked.

"He knows." The voice from the table said though his eyes were still shut. "He's broken, not deaf."

The others exchanged looks and Cam approached but Sweets shook his head. "I'm fine." She stopped, from doing what she didn't know, offering some sort of comfort.

"Sweets, I…"

"I just need some rest." He turned his head to the side. "Then we need to get to work."

Cam looked back at Booth with a 'what the hell is he talking about' look. The three of them moved to the front of the room.

"He's wanting to track down those people Carter had." Booth explained.

"Well won't Carter move them now that he knows Sweets is onto him." Cam asked.

"He can't remember where every single person is." Brennan suggested. "I flipped thru the book, there's hundreds of entries."

"I haven't examined him but I can tell he is no condition to work." Cam warned.

Booth nodded in agreement.

"I would agree except I think if you don't let Sweets work on this, he… he may never _really _recover." Brennan advised.

"Again with psychosis Dr. Brennan?" Cam asked.

Brennan shook her head. "I don't know, what I do know is he won't let go of that book."

"He had to fight with his life to get it." Booth reminded them. "I wouldn't give it up either." He sighed. "I know it's not medically advisable but I agree with Bones. I've seen guys in the field be like this. They have to see the whole thing thru."

"He doesn't trust us to do it?" Cam asked.

"It's not about trust." Booth said. "Sometimes it's things you feel you have to atone for."

"Are we talking about Sweets or are we talking about you?" Cam asked but Booth only offered a non-committal stare.

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Cam asked walking alongside Booth back to the vet clinic. "I mean he even referred to himself as broken."

"Maybe he meant broken bones, which he does have." The statement didn't make himself feel any better.

"Seeley…"

"Cam I know, I agree." Booth said stopping as they neared the door. "But the only person I could really ask about what we should and shouldn't do in this case is also the person I would ask. I'm working this one blind, trying to go with my gut. Besides, if Sweets is on the case then he's not alone and Carter can't find him."

"Do you think he will try, even now?" Cam asked surprised.

"I think Carter has an unhealthy interest in Sweets."

"Sounds like everyone's a psychologist."

"Have to be, ours is out of commission I'm afraid." Booth opened the door and went inside. He was pleased to see that Sweets was up and sitting now though still ensconced in the old blanket. He was by the wall looking to the side and Booth soon noticed what he was doing, petting the dog that was on the floor next to him. The dog vigorously wagged his tale as Sweets rubbed his ears and leaned into his hand. Booth could see that Sweets was getting tired but had no intent on stopping anytime soon.

"Found a new furry friend?" Booth asked.

"Why did you stop shaving?" Sweets said and it took Booth a second to realize Sweets had made a joke. "Yeah he's a good dog, golden retrievers are very smart dogs you know."

"Yeah, I can see that." Booth sat down opposite Sweets who was relaxed and perhaps open to conversation. "He's doing pretty good for a broken leg."

"Funny thing about dogs, they just keep going, they don't let broken bones bother them, always faithful."

Booth waited for Sweets to make the connection with himself but he hadn't before he started talking again.

Sweets cleared his throat. "Dr. Brennan said the vet found him, his caretaker didn't take care of him, he was pretty beat up." Sweets kept rubbing the dog's ears. "Seems common these days."

Booth had a suspicion that was as close to the topic that Sweets was going to actually get, perhaps ever. Booth didn't know what to do, should he ask Sweets to talk about it, should he not bring it up, _damn I'm not the shrink here_.

"I've got some clothes for you, they're not the best but it's what I could find." Booth smiled. "Better than a blanket anyway right?"

Sweets nodded but with the dog in one hand and the log book in the other Booth just sat the clothes next to him, it was obvious Sweets wasn't going to give up the others at the moment.

The vet came in the door and Booth was glad to see him so that the unfamiliar conversation did not need to continue.

"Hey doc, what's your plans for the dog?"


	21. Chapter 21

21.

**Booth and Brennan take Sweets to the nearest location available, a vet clinic to look at Sweets' injuries. Carter's body is not found in the rubble and Sweets' only connection to reality seems to be thru finding the lost victims in the log book.**

Booth looked in the rear view mirror to see Sweets sitting silent, almost content in the back seat, his furry companion sitting closely beside him. Brennan gave him a look that questioned why Booth insisted on taking the dog but the more she thought about it, the little flaw in the logic she found so she kept quiet.

"Is it treated for fleas?" She asked and Booth nodded.

"The doc did that before we left."

"Okay. Good." She said looking back and saw a certain contentment between the dog whose head rested on Sweets' lap and his hand that lay on the dog's side. Both sported bandages and bruises though the dog seemed in better shape.

Brennan's eyes scanned the window, looking in the side view mirror, just about everywhere. She didn't think Carter would really try something but she had been wrong before. She heard a noise and looked back to see Sweets head bounce off the window – he had almost drifted off but his head bounced back up thus hitting the window.

"Sweets you are welcome to rest, it will be some time until we are back in D.C." She informed him.

"No, it's fine." Sweets said looking out the window. He had no recollection of the drive to wherever he was, all of it was still fuzzy and only recently coming more clear. He had to admit he felt better being with Brennan and Booth, even the others he felt minorly comfortable. But around everyone else he eyed them with suspicion and for good reason. "The drive is nice." He said somewhat absent mindedly. Brennan was curious what he meant, Sweets was referring though to how it was nicer to drive in the car than being stuffed in the trunk, which had been his mode of transportation too often lately.

"Sweets, I have to ask, how did you get out of that place?" Booth asked, it had been bothering him, Julie didn't know, she had been taken away before then.

"A truck." Sweets said thinking back but it the memory started to give him chill.

"With the others?" Brennan asked.

"Sort of." Sweets stomach reminded him that he didn't want to talk about it.

"How didn't they see you? And how did you get to that town?" Brennan asked, always inquisitive.

"I was under the truck." Sweets said. "Then I walked to town."

Booth &amp; Brennan exchanged a look, though they didn't have all the details they knew it could not be good. Based on the amount of wear and debris embedded in Sweets' feet Brennan knew the walk must have been lengthy. When Booth tried to imagine where someone would hide on the underside of a truck, he grew angry. Sweets shivered unintentionally and Booth turned the heat up. It was warm enough but maybe not for Sweets.

He decided to take his mind off the memories, the specific memories of his escape and concentrate on what plagued him most, those who weren't in the comfort of a mostly warm car with the protection of friends. He flipped open the pages of the book - he had glanced at it before but now he would take the time to study it. Brennan noticed as he did and she wondered if she should say something.

Sweets heaved a heavy sigh.

"Everything okay Sweets?" Booth asked.

"The book is encoded." He said with a heavy tone.

"I had noticed that as well." Brennan commented.

"Thank you for finding the book Dr. Brennan." Sweets said considering how an already difficult task just became harder regarding the encoded log.

"I was hoping that Angela might be able to help us crack the codes used in the book." Brennan said and Sweets nodded as his head drifted to the side again. The latest news was too much for Sweets mind and it collapsed on itself demanding a recharge and he fell asleep.

* * *

"He still looks tired." A male voice in the distance said.

"We can't leave him in the car." The woman said.

"I'm up." Sweets added as the dog buried his nose under Sweets' hand in an effort to engage Sweets in movement.

"I'll get him." Brennan said.

"I'm fine!" Sweets shouted when he hadn't intended to, shocking even himself.

"I meant the dog Sweets, his leg is broken." Brennan reminded him as she scooped the canine up in her arms. Brennan gave Booth a look of concern.

Booth opened the door for Sweets and had planned to help the young psychologist whose feet were badly damaged but after he had barked at his wife Booth decided to let Sweets get his own reminder of why friends were integral.

Sweets feet touched the ground and with a bit of surprise Booth watched as he slowly but on his own walked inside. Walked may have been an exaggeration- one thing Booth could say about Sweets was his walk was always relaxed, sort of like a man breezing thru a park with little care but the sunshine and nice weather – so it stood out today when he walked robotically, surely a sign he was in pain but cared to not admit nor ask for assistance. Instead Booth walked with little distance between them should the doctor fall Booth was ready. He had no idea what was the right and wrong move to make with Sweets – the only person he trusted in asking _was _Sweets and right now he wasn't talking.

Once they made it inside Cam marched forward with large eyes. Brennan flashed her own sea green irises and the visual glance was ended when Sweets hobbled in the door, obviously exhausted but showing no signs a desire to discuss it or attention to be drawn to it.

"Angela is in her office." Booth explained and Sweets headed in that direction. Brennan followed with the dog.

"Seeley….I don't even know where to begin." Cam said her usual by the book attitude in place.

"It's a seeing eye dog Cam." Booth said.

"A seeing eye dog? For a guy who can see? And a dog with a broken leg?"

"Cam, you know deep down this has to happen right?" Booth said. "He can't go to the FBI office with all those people staring at him. It's quiet here. I sure as hell am not sending him home by himself, not with that psycho out there."

"Sweets is not a dog with a broken leg." Cam reminded him.

"Right, he's a psychologist with no family outside of the people here and his list of injuries is a lot worse than a broken leg. Now if you have some suggestions I invite you to let me know what they are."

Cam gave Booth a look and then went back to work. Booth watched as Brennan sat the dog down in a chair while Angela wanted to give Sweets a warm and embracing hug but it turned out to awkward when Sweets kept a distance from her while the exchange took place. Booth worried how long this would all last though he knew Rome wasn't built in a day.

"Brennan texted that you had the book but it was coded." Angela said feeling it was easier just to get back to work. "I've got some programs here, I just need the book." Angela reached for it automatically but Sweets pulled it back.

"I'm sorry Angela, I didn't mean to…" Sweets said but still held the book.

"I know how important it is Sweets. I just want to help." Angela promised him.

"I know, it's just…"

"You just worked really hard to get it." Angela said. "And that's why I'm going to scan it all in, not only will we have a backup but then I can start figuring these all out."

Sweets nodded and handed her the book. Angela noticed how uncomfortable he looked but more so how exhausted he looked.

"You know Sweets this is going to take me awhile, would you like to rest in Dr. Brennan's office? Her sofa is a lot bigger than mine." Angela said.

Sweets considered the option and didn't want it to appear he was looking over Angela's shoulder. He slowly stood up noticing the pain killers were beginning to wear off. The dog tried to jump to attention too but was hindered by his bandage. Angela watched as the two seemed to refuse help from anyone. Sweets waited a second but the dog seemed content in place so Sweets headed to Dr. Brennan's dark office. Angela looked at the dog who started to fall back asleep, happy in his current place.

"You know he needs you a lot more than I do." Angela said to the mutt.

Sweets lay down on the couch, slowly, for he found it hard for his body to do simple tasks. Still, he had no time for self-pity when all he could consider was the worse place the people he had been interred with were going thru. He tried not to let it bother him that the dog preferred Angela's couch though it did and he wasn't sure why. _Oh well, Dr. Brennan would not want a dog on her sofa anyway. _Little else but exhaustion took over that made him fall asleep because his nerves will still on edge.

A while passed until Sweets finally fell fast and into a hard sleep.

"How long are you going to lay there and sleep?" A voice asked and Sweets thought it in poor humor coming from a friend. He wanted to shake his head but his chest hurt, in fact it hurt to breathe all together.

"You're a piss poor excuse for a man." Sweets eyes flew open at Carter's familiar voice. His neck hurt as Carter's hands wrapped tighter around them. Sweets wanted to scream but instead it just felt like an inevitable end.

Suddenly his face felt wet while his body trembled, his attention brought to present as the dog barked. Sweets woke with a start and pain shot thru every vein and muscle in his body, the dog looked down at him from its position on his chest.

"What's wrong?" Booth asked suddenly at the door with Brennan seconds behind. He had heard the dog's bark and came when he heard it.

Now in the office he could see the pale and pained look on Sweets face. "Sweets are you okay?" He asked coming closer.

"The pain killers must be wearing off, I'll be back." Brennan said and left the room.

Sweets was still somewhat out of it when Booth came closer. "Sweets it's okay." He encouraged but he didn't seem to leave the trance until the dog licked his hand, further bringing Sweets away from the nightmare.

Sweets breathing was still heavy but became more even as he realized where he was, or even more - realized where he wasn't.

"Oh! There he is." Angela said entering to room when she saw Brennan moving quickly across the lab. "The dog was asleep in my office, he must have…hey, what's wrong with Sweets?" Angela took note of Sweets unsteady appearance as he sat up but not without much effort. Brennan reappeared with pills that Sweets swallowed quickly without argument. His head pounded in his hand but he couldn't stay hidden within himself forever as the dog wiggled his way into Sweets face, forcing him to drop his arms and let the room in. Sweets looked down at the dog who wagged his tail and Sweets smiled a tiny grin which they all took as huge progress.

"Bad dream?" Booth asked not very loud.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so." Sweets said patting the dog's head, at least more content than before.

"Maybe…." Brennan said but Sweets interrupted her.

"Maybe they'll go away when we get Carter." Sweets said.

"Well I might be able to help with that." Angela said. "At least I think I have a solid start."

Sweets wasted little time in getting up and following Angela to her office, the dog in his arms.

"You should name him." Booth said as he walked by Sweets.

"Oh, yeah." Sweets said but at the moment only unpleasant names came to mind.

"So here is what I have so far." Angela began. "I have this listing here, it appears he assigned each person a number as well as a letter behind it, A or B."

"Flip to the last page." Sweets suggested and Angela did so.

"A is for male, B is for female." Sweets said having recognized the sequence of the last people who came in.

"The next column is a 1-2-3." Angela said.

"He's rating people for service." Sweets added giving them great information, though it was difficult to hear. "I remember him…giving them…numbers….when I had to…choose."

They wanted to say something, do something but Sweets sat with the dog on his lap staring at the screen and patting the faithful friend's head. They left him be, his mind was busy working as his tired and red but impatient eyes scanned the screen.

He cleared his throat. "I think the next column is the cell he assigned them to. That's why they are used again and again and are crossed out."

"Okay so we know where they are, but where did they go?" Brennan asked.

"The last few columns are grouped together and written what appears pretty quickly. It seems to be three, maybe four groupings." Angela pointed out.

"That's probably when he loaded people on the trucks to get them out." Sweets considered something. "He's got them in another location. We have to find that location quickly or we won't find them at all." Then a worse consideration fell on him. "He may have already moved them."

"Let's work on that code before we lose that hope." Booth suggested quickly hoping to stunt the young man's hopes from fading too fast.

"I've checked these last series of numbers." Angela said skipping two columns and going to the end. "They are not coordinates, they're not GPS locates, nothing."

Sweets stared at the sequences. "The middle numbers I think are people he assigned them to. The last columns don't have them because he shipped them at one time." He knew they would have to break those codes in order to find the others but now he needed to find those trucks of people.

"Hey what about that girl, Julie, does she have any ideas?" Angela asked.

Booth shook his head. "No, she said she never got that close to the book."

"How is she?" Sweets asked still staring at the enlarged screen.

"Recovering, protective custody." Booth said.

"They symbol is which truck they left in." Sweets said starting to see a pattern. "The asterisk is one truck, the pound another, the percent another and the dollar sign is the last one. There's only four symbols used, that's the trucks."

"Okay so we can group them together, yeah there's about twenty five people per truck so that makes sense." Angela said grouping them on the computer. "They have a few different numbers next to them."

"Do you think that the different symbols suggest different outlets for them?" Brennan asked. "The dollar sign could be his high dollar people?"

"Sure but where does he take them, out of that 25 there's four different numbers below them." Booth said pointing.

"He's broken them down to smaller shipments." Sweets said. "Probably placed them in smaller vans." He felt the time was running out much faster and hated that he had stopped to take a nap, it was a waste of time.

"Dammit, these numbers mean nothing." Angela said frustrated.

"To Carter it all means something." Sweets said looking them over again then got an idea. "The first number is the state, 2 for District of Columbia, the start of the zip code. He's not using the whole code! He's then skipped the rest of the zip code….only…." Sweets expression changed and they knew he had come up with the solution. "He's added the plus four section of the zip code."

"If that's the case that could narrow down specific neighborhoods or even a city block." Brennan said in case no one knew what Sweets was talking about.

"I'm running these now." Angela said. "What's 9?"

"Hawaii, Oregon, California…" Brennan began to list

"Marshall Islands, Alaska…." Booth continued.

"Planning a vacation?" Hodgins came in and asked.

"Tracking down those people." Booth said. "We've got the one digit beginning zip code and the four digit add on." Hodgins understood.

"Okay they would have to leave from a port." Angela said. "Okay, let's go with the first one in the D.C. area, this four digit add on points to this industrial area."

"I'm on it." Hodgins said immediately moving to the computer. "You go on to the next one."

"Okay next is 1, could be Delaware, New York or Pennsylvania." Angela said. "The last four are these possible hits." Several came to the screen.

"The next section could be an address, there's just no street number." Brennan noticed. "Can you cross reference these?"

"Yes, it's just going to take me some time." Angela said sensing they were all growing impatient.

"What's that number? It only has a line after the A5432, C14." Brennan said. "Why doesn't it have a go to location?"

"That's me." Sweets said seeing his fate on the screen before him. "Carter wasn't planning on me going anywhere.

"I've got a hit on the first one, it's a shipping yard." Hodgins said, his interruption welcomed by Sweets.

Booth looked at Sweets. "Let's go."

Booth was moving from the room considerably quicker than Sweets and he slowed his pace so that the other man could catch up.

"Booth maybe you should just go." Sweets said solemnly.

"No Sweets we started this thing together, I think we should finish it together."

Sweets nodded and gave a small grin and Booth saw a semblance of the man he once knew.

"We'll keep Fido here." Angela said.

"Fido?" Sweets asked.

"Hey if you don't give him a name I will."

"Not Fido." Sweets said turning to leave.

"Okay, Cujo."

"Not funny."

"Do you think he means we can't name the dog Funny?"

* * *

Two hours later and four SWAT teams on the scene having swooped in and secured the scene first, Booth and Sweets walked in once it was secure and found what they were looking for people.

"How many?" Booth asked.

"Twelve." One of the men answered.

"It's a start." Sweets said trying to stay positive.

"It's a good start." Booth reminded him but sensed two things in Sweets, a sense of accomplishment but also a sense of fear once they were around the groups of people. This caused Booth to want to stay close to Sweets who while he said nothing relaxed slightly while his eyes darted around, looking for Carter, or any of his people.

* * *

Angela worked on the code and locations while Booth &amp; Sweets left the scene for Sweets place. Sweets hit the shower while Booth couldn't help but see a few drops of old dried blood on the floor. Sweets shower seemed rather quick and Booth wondered if it were because he wanted to get back to work or it were because he didn't like being in such a vulnerable place as a shower.

Sweets soon emerged, now dressed like Booth in a suit but it was one that was now too large. Booth did notice however that some of the bruising had begun to rescind, the cuts were not as fresh and after popping a handful of pills Booth began to work up the idea to say something about his concerns.

Only the phone rang.

"Booth." He answered. "Yeah, okay, I'll call it in, we're on our way."

"She's got more?" Sweets asked trying not to wince as he put his shoes on.

"Yeah. Hey, uh…" But Booth didn't know how to voice his concerns. He wanted Sweets to go along, he wanted him to see this to the end because he saw the good it did for him but he felt like Sweets was pushing himself too far. Only he didn't know how to say it so he went for a more mundane conversation. "We should uh, get you a new phone."

"Yeah, mine is long gone I'm sure." Sweets said thinking of how Carter had his badge, ID, phone. Everything about Carter seemed creepy and that just added to it.

"Hey Sweets, I…." Booth said. "Never mind."

"No Booth, something is on your mind." Booth noticed how Sweets sounded defensive when he said it.

"Why did you call Brennan when you were…there…You know what, it doesn't matter." Booth said feeling silly for bringing it up.

"I did." Sweets said. "You didn't answer."

Sweets headed for the door but Booth didn't buy it. He looked down at his phone and went thru his missed calls from the day before, an eternity ago when they didn't know if Sweets was dead or alive. Sure enough there was a missed call from an unknown number. For whatever reason it didn't make Booth feel any better that he had failed to help Sweets the first go around again.

* * *

Quickly the pair were on their way to the scene.

"I wonder if the dog is okay." Sweets said.

"I'm sure he's being treated like a king." Booth said thinking of the company he was in.

"Yeah if Cam hasn't given him three flea baths."

"Nah, she'd put him to work with security first." Booth kidded and he was glad to see Sweets smile. "I'm glad we found him, the dog, you know. He helped with your dream, uh, nightmare."

"Yeah." Sweets said uncomfortably. "I'm glad he woke me when he did."

Booth wasn't sure what else to say as Sweets expression grew dark. They arrived at the scene of the storage container so the conversation came to a natural end.

"We're going to let SWAT go in again." Booth said.

"That's fine with me." Sweets said feeling the ache in his body return, he took some pills out of his pocket but doing the math he reluctantly put them away. Booth was glad he had but he also worried if Sweets was still pushing himself too far. From what he had recently been thru, he was sure he was.

SWAT secured the area and called Booth &amp; Sweets in where they had found four more people. Sweets stepped forward quickly when he saw one man, the man he had fought for food, the same man who helped him out.

"You came back." The man said who looked starved, again.

"We're going to help." Sweets promised taking the man's dirty hand that Sweets paid no mind to.

"Thank you." The man said taking it as Sweets helped him up.

Sweets nodded but it seemed as though his answer meant it just wasn't enough.


	22. Chapter 22

22.

**Sweets has nightmares Carter is still after him. They crack the code and begin to find the missing people though Booth worries Sweets is pushing himself too hard too early. He also seeing that finding the people is doing wonders on Sweets' mind though he is still only comfortable around those he knows - a side effect of Carter being at large.**

* * *

And so a pattern soon developed - Sweets began tracking down people on the list. Each group that was found would lead to another group and soon many of the people in the trucks that left that night were found, except for a few. None of the henchmen were found since the people were locked in storage containers - it would seem that Carter's prison was a step better than their current hell. With each find the team's resolve to find them was increased while Sweets determined nature remained the same. It was then that the other patterns that developed concerned the rest of the team.

"I'm worried." Brennan said to Booth at lunch at the diner one day.

"What about?" Booth asked concerned about the early morning coffee and eggs confession.

"About Sweets."

Booth almost rolled his eyes. "Name someone who isn't."

"His bruises are almost gone but his health doesn't seem much better."

Booth cleared his throat. "He barely leaves his office unless we've got a lead on someone. Then when he's in his office he works on nothing but this case, no profiles, no patients, nothing. And then there's the other thing…."

"What other thing?"

"The dog, he comes to work every day with Sweets."

"What does Skinner say?"

"Nothing, no one does. Hell, not even Sweets says anything. He gets there at the crack of dawn and sits in his office and works, I'm not sure he eats, doesn't talk to anyone unless it's someone about the case. Hell everyone's worried but he's made it pretty clear he doesn't want to talk about it. I think Skinner feels guilty he didn't move on it sooner so he doesn't say anything. Everyone pretty much knows what happens so no one wants to make Sweets feel bad."

"Sweets isn't the type of person who would want people to feel sorry for him, he would rather avoid them than have them come to him with concerns. I can understand that."

"Yeah Bones but it's more than that, I don't know it's like he just doesn't trust anyone."

"He trusts us doesn't he?"

"Yeah, but we're it. Oh and the dog, who still doesn't have a name."

"You're the one who suggested he bring home the dog." Brennan reminded him.

"Yeah well that dog is probably the only thing that gets him out of his apartment."

"We should have pushed harder for him to stay with us."

"Right, because that suggestion went over like a ton of bricks." Booth recalled having suggested after the first group was located that Sweets might feel more relaxed with them. The answer was a complete and utter 'no.'

"Maybe he wants to get back to normal." Brennan suggested.

"Well that might suggest doing shrink work." Booth said. "All he wants to do is find those people, even the ones he never met."

"I imagine that Sweets' experience was quite harrowing." Brennan shivered thinking of the evidence they found but could not completely gleam into the mental damage such a situation would cause. "So what can we do?"

"I guess keep finding the people, hopefully find Carter."

"I think finding Carter would make the biggest impact on Sweets' condition. He seems to rely on the canine to alert him when there's a chance Carter might show up."

Booth nodded. "Yeah, that might explain why Sweets is spending a lot more time at the gun range."

"I thought he was a good shot."

"Well after all this he was a little unsteady. His fingers have mostly healed now and he's been perfecting his shot. I know when he goes, the dog stays with me."

"Well we owe him plenty of babysitting." Brennan said with a smile but something still bothered Booth.

"What is it?"

"I just want the old Sweets back. This one is depressing."

"Any more news on Carter?" Brennan asked.

"Each time we find anyone there's no henchmen, no one to question. I think Carter can't pay them so they're gone. But Carter's still out there, we've destroyed his business. He's either fled to another country or he's waiting."

"Waiting on what."

"I wish I knew Bones."

* * *

A knock was on the door and both heads raised to see who was entering. Sweets took his hand off the gun in his desk drawer when Angela appeared.

"Hello Angela." Sweets said as warmly as he did these days was a few degrees above freezing.

"Hey Sweets." She said sitting down a bag that Sweets now realized she as leaving there. "I didn't think you had left your office lately" she lowered her voice some, "nor had you eaten lately," she saw his eyes roll. "So I went by the grocery store and got you some food. Simple stuff so you can keep it in your office, you know PB and J. Then you can eat, since you never leave." Her tone dripped with judgment and concern.

"I leave, sometimes." Sweets said shutting his drawer with the gun so she couldn't see it.

"Yeah, well I mean besides something to do with the case." She came closer to his desk but noticed a certain discomfort with the closer distance. "I'm just kinda worried Sweets."

"Well, I'm fine." He assured her but she raised her eyebrow. He wasn't able to lie to her, he would probably always have a little crush on her despite the years that had passed since she had first figured it out. He cleared his throat. "I will be better when everyone is found."

"Including Carter." Angela said but she knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment she said it since Sweets was instantly uncomfortable with it.

"Yes, including him." Sweets said and went back to his keyboard. "I should get back to work."

"You should take a break Sweets." Angela said sitting on his desk and ignoring his desire for personal space. "Look, tonight is Brennan's birthday. She's not going to press you to join us for a drink but I am. You know it would mean a lot to her if you came."

Sweets could see she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"I'll think about it." He replied which seemed to appease her. "But right now I think I've found Tallie Roberts."

* * *

"So is he coming tonight?" Brennan asked with her birthday beverage in hand.

"I asked again and he said he would." Booth said.

"Did you find her?" Angela asked. "Tallie Roberts."

"Yeah, it was a little grim but she was there. I enjoyed putting her pimp in the wall." Booth said with a smile.

"How many more are there to go?" Hodgins asked.

"There's several pages of individuals that were sent out, some date back several months but the locations seem to be solid." Angela said.

Booth nodded. "It seems like Carter didn't really expect us to find them. Or he couldn't get word to any of them to watch out. Either way we're picking them up and putting them away."

A look haunted Booth's face.

"What is it?" Brennan asked.

"When we got Tallie today, you know they took her off in the ambulance. Sweets called her parents and all but I thought he would be really excited. I said to him though how we were really making progress on finding people. He nodded and I said we had really put Carter out of business and I imagined we had really made him mad, stirred up the bees nest. Sweets just smiled, wanted to get back to work."

"Well yeah it's a good thing right?" Cam asked.

"Yeah, it was just like he was glad, like he was glad to invite trouble." Booth clarified.

"I'm sure Sweets owes Carter a few rounds." Hodgins said taking a drink of his dark ale.

"Hey, here he comes!" Angela said as Sweets approached the Four Father's door.

"Happy Birthday Dr. Brennan." He said at a distance but Brennan walked over and gave him a hug.

"Thank you Sweets. Glad you could make it." She said.

"Let's get the guy a drink." Hodgins suggested. "Just glad to see him out."

Sweets nodded at the teasing like he didn't mind but he quickly maneuvered himself to the corner of the room, one where he could see all. A drink was quickly placed in his hand and while he didn't object to the notion of alcohol, it was a mixed drink, one he couldn't verify the contents of.

The conversation resumed with everyone laughing and smiling and telling stories and jokes. Sweets brought the drink to his lips when people looked his way but he never took a sip. Booth took notice that while the others were busy having a good time and laughing Sweets eyes took routine sweeps of the room and his drink never lowered its liquid level. Booth noticed how Sweets was in the corner, a safe spot where he could watch everything, Booth felt deflated at the notion - while Sweets was out with them he wasn't really there. A glimpse at his sill healing broken fingers, a trace of the once large cut on his face reminded Booth that should Sweets face a second round with Carter, he most likely would not survive it, a fact perhaps Sweets knew as well.

Sweets saw Booth looking at him and he offered up his best smile and put the drink to his lips but upon its replacement on the table the liquid remained the same. Later Sweets' drink would accidentally 'spill' but he proclaimed once was enough and that he had to head home.

* * *

_Yes, there you are, back to work I presume. My you're looking well, yes very well. I'm glad you're getting back to healthy again - it will make breaking you again all the more fun._ Carter snickered from the corner as he watched Sweets get back in his car and leave the Four Father's.

* * *

"Hey what are you looking at Ange?" Hodgins said seeing his wife's grave expression.

"I'm seeing activity here." She said tapping on the keys.

"Okay I'll play along, activity on what?" Hodgins said trying to keep the mood light.

"On Sweets' phone."

Hodgins got the seriousness of her search. "Carter had Sweets' phone last."

"Precisely." She said.

"Should we call Sweets?" Hodgins asked.

"No, not until I figure out what's going on with it."

* * *

"Hey Sweets!" Booth said walking into Sweets office quickly making Sweets jump to open his drawer and the dog bark. Sweets quickly realized it was Booth and slammed the door shut.

"Dammit Booth don't do that!" Sweets barked and while Booth didn't like getting yelled at he understand the overall objection.

"Yeah, just excited." Booth said. "Come on, I have something to show you."

"I'm working Booth. I've got a line on three of these women who were shipped to Mexico."

"Right and that is going to be out of our jurisdiction but I've got a guy who can help. Now, what I've got is with the case."

Sweets was intrigued so he followed Booth as they made their way to the interrogation room. Once Sweets stepped in the door he was none too pleased with who he saw.

Booth began to speak. "He's…"

"One of Carter's men." Sweets finished. "I know."

"Yeah, I thought you might want to interrogate him." Booth said excitedly as Caroline Julian entered, concern on her face.

"Thanks, I have work to do though." Sweets quickly left the room, dodging people as he did so to make it quickly back to his office.

Booth let out a sigh.

"Tell me Cherie, are you stupid?"

"What? Why, I thought Sweets would like to pound the guy for information on Carter."

"Yeah I thought you might which is why I hurried over here the moment I heard you had this guy in custody. You did read Sweets' full report didn't you?"

"Yeah, and?"

"Well then you would probably have connected the fact that this is the guy who hung Sweets from the ceiling in that hell hole." Caroline's reminder gave Booth mixed feelings.

"Cherie, Sweets is angry, sure. But he's not the guy who is going to beat someone to a pulp."

Caroline headed out of the interrogation room while Booth looked back in the interrogation room. "Well I don't mind doing it, especially with the reminder." _Wonder if anyone would find out if I hung this guy from the ceiling for a few hours?_

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Sweets shook his head because he knew it was Booth. "Come in." He said.

"Hey Sweets."

"How was the interrogation?" He said, trying to keep his voice even.

"He doesn't know where Carter is."

"I suspected as much." Sweets continued to work and not look up.

"Sweets, I know we've let all this go, not talk about it, but don't you think it's about time to?"

Sweets wondered what was said in the interrogation room to make Booth come up with this conversation.

"I think that everything was said in my report." Sweets said trying to concentrate on work more than the thoughts that were seeping into his mind.

"Yeah, the physical stuff, but what about the mental shrinky stuff Sweets?" Booth stepped closer, treading on thin ice. "No one would think less of you if you opened up you know."

"I was pretty sure you made it clear over the years that was of no interest to you."

"Time has changed us all Sweets."

"Not today Booth." Sweets said with finality.

"But another day?"

"Yeah, another day."

* * *

"I just don't understand." Booth said putting the plates in the kitchen sink. "He's all mister open up and talk."

"It's a pretty extreme case Booth." Brennan reminded him.

"Yeah, I just…."

"You're not patient." Brennan defined.

"No, I'm not, and it's…"

"It's hard to see someone you care about feel so bad." Brennan finished for him.

"Yeah, you always know what to say Bones."

"Sure, I know because I feel the same way." Brennan left to check on Christine.

Booth picked up his cell phone and texted Sweets, same number but on his new phone.

_Sweets, I mean it, any day, I'm here._ Booth didn't like the emotional approach but he had to try something. The phone buzzed as a text returned and Booth opened it, _I'm here too, for now._

Booth was puzzled at the text message, he didn't like the tone of it. He dialed Sweets number and impatiently waited as it rang several times. Finally, it picked up.

A laugh began on the other line, it wasn't Sweets. "You know what they say Agent Booth, here one day, gone the next!"

"Carter?" Booth asked in disbelief.

"Hey, no one can say you're too slow Agent Booth!" The phone line ended and Booth raced for his keys because he had no other way to way to warn Sweets if Carter was answering his phone.

* * *

"Shhh." Sweets said sitting in front of his TV, the dog growled again. "SSSHHHH!" He said again in a state of confusion.

The dog actively began to bark and this time Sweets was up on his bare feet and pajamas with gun in hand and rushed to the door. He opened it but only his breath was visible in the cold outside air.

"It's there again." Sweets said to the dog who was doing well on his healed leg. Sweets had been alerted to several noises the last couple of nights thanks to the dog but each time he reacted, no one had been there. Sweets walked back in the door and locked it, along with the two new locks he had recently installed.

He put the safety back on his gun as he and the dog sauntered back to the couch, tired.

"Good job." Sweets said sitting on the couch petting the dog beside him. "He's going to be out there one of these days." Sweets said feeling the sleep tug at him again as he tried to stay awake watching TV. The dog grumbled.

"Maybe some more coffee?" Sweets asked the dog who was now even giving him 'this isn't healthy' stares. "Yeah more coffee, besides, it's cold out." The dog grumbled again.

Sweets ground the beans and when he was done he heard a noise but the dog didn't bark this time. Sweets found that odd but quickly grabbed his gun and always in bare feet, which were far more quiet than with shoes on against his bare floors, went to the door. He heard more noises but again the dog remained silent. This time Sweets quietly removed the lock from the door and slowly opened the door and peered out into the darkness.

"Sweets!" Booth shouted causing Sweets to nearly fire his gun.

"Geez Booth, don't do that!" Sweets said stepping back as Booth let himself in his place.

"You heard it too then?" Booth asked looking around.

"Yeah, no, what?" Sweets asked. "I heard something a while ago, the dog barked but this time he didn't when I heard something."

"Sweets you have to get the poor guy a name." Booth said petting the dog. "This time it was me, probably why he didn't bark. Don't freak out, but I think last time it may have been Carter. When I pulled up I saw someone running from your window. I tried to track him but nothing. There's some footsteps in the wet mud outside your window too."

Sweets nodded but Booth was surprised that Sweets wasn't bothered by the information.

"You knew?" Booth asked.

"I suspected." Sweets said. "Two different things."

Booth watched as Sweets put the safety back on his gun and put it back on the end table. He then noticed how it looked like Sweets lived on his couch, he could smell the freshly ground coffee lingering in the air.

"Coffee?" Booth asked. "It's like ten at night."

"Yeah, oh, ummmm…"

"Sweets, I came over here, well, wait on that thought, what the hell is going on here?" Booth said looking around at the gun, the three deadbolts on the door and the new living area that became the obviously living quarters.

"What, I'm just, you know, hanging out."

"Sweets, people don't hang out with coffee brewing at ten at night, a series of locks on the door and gun in hand. What's going on here?" Booth pressed him again. "This has been going on a while hasn't it?"

Sweets turned and walked away.

"No Sweets, we're having this conversation, I've let this go on too long. If you're not comfortable here come home with me and Bones, and dammit eat something!"

"I can't! " Sweets shouted back. "And I'm fine here, I'm not a lost dog you bring home with you and Dr. Brennan."

"Fine, you can stay here but not living like this. Geez Sweets it's been a few weeks but you look just as bad as two weeks ago. When was the last time you ate something besides coffee?"

"I don't know." Sweets said becoming tired at the exhausting conversation and a growing desire for Booth to leave him alone.

"Sweets you keep doing this, keeping this all to yourself and not taking care of yourself."

"Why not?" Sweets said, he wasn't yelling, he wasn't upset, he was practically unfeeling.

"What do you mean why not, do I need to give you reasons? Friends? Family? The dog with no name?"

"No it's not that." Sweets said walking around like a zombie, he was obviously exhausted. "It's people, it's those people. You know they're not sleeping on a bed, or a couch even, they're sleeping in storage containers and in cells or worse. And you know they're not eating hot meals at the diner or even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They're eating garbage - on good days."

Booth began to see the connection. "So you think shouldn't get to eat if they don't, is that it? A survivor's guilt?"

"I'm not a survivor Booth, I escaped - with their help - with the hope I might come back from them. And those who I didn't meet - they don't think anyone is looking for them. When I was there I knew you were all looking for me, as impossible as it felt to find me. Can you imagine how lost they feel no one's even looking for them?" Sweets said growing more tired. "I close my eyes at night and I see them. I close my eyes and I hear a noise and I think it's Carter."

"Sweets why didn't you say anything before?" Booth asked nearly ready to catch the man who was wavering on his feet he was so tired."

"I don't know, I really don't." Sweets said, not even noticing when Booth veered Sweets towards the couch.

"Well I'm glad you did now."

"Right." Sweets said about to fall asleep. "Hey, what are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh, that, um, I got a call, from your phone, it was Carter." Sweets was wide awake again.

* * *

"Okay I'm just going to say it." Hodgins said quietly before they got to Angela's office. "What's with the zombie?"

Booth rolled his eyes, he knew Hodgins was referring to Sweets who looked dead on his feet. Once he had finally admitted to Booth what was wrong last night, and knowing for sure that Carter was on to him he seemed utterly exhausted.

"It's a long story Hodgins. Sweets can tell you when he's ready. But right now we have to find out where Carter is and where the rest of these people are at."

The entered Angela's office where Brennan and Angela were talking.

"Okay, so I'd noticed some activity on Sweets' phone yesterday and started to track it." Angela explained. "I thought maybe Carter had ditched it and some kid was playing with it but I noticed every time it pinged it was at some location that Sweets had been to, the FBI building, the Four Fathers', Sweets' place and so on. So then I thought it was Sweets new phone and it had crossed wires."

"Ange, what's the point?" Hodgins asked impatiently.

"Somehow Carter has hacked into the phone, merging Sweets old cell and new one together. That's how when Booth texted Sweets last night, Carter was the one to respond. Sweets would not be seeing any of this activity on his phone which is acting as a drone." Angela explained.

"Sweets you didn't notice your phone wasn't doing anything?" Brennan asked the man who was nearly asleep and completely worn out sitting in the chair. It became obvious to her the answer was no, Sweets hadn't exactly been social lately.

"So can we use any of this to track Carter?" Booth asked.

"Well yeah, I mean anywhere Sweets has been, Carter's following. And yeah he was at Sweets' place last night. He's since turned the phone off though."

"We should be looking for the missing people." Sweets interjected with a yawn.

"Well I want to look for the raging psycho." Booth argued and wondered why Sweets didn't seem to care about Carter, Sweets soon answered.

"Booth if he wants to find me he will, I can't stay awake forever." Sweets voice was that of defeat, they all noticed and were disturbed.

"As alarming as that piece of information is," Angela said. "I have some other troubling news."

"Goody." Sweets said not seeing the situation improve.

"Carter made a few calls outside these. He's setting up shop, again."

This announcement by Angela caught all of their attention including lifeless psychologist.

"We need to find him." Sweets said with a renewed resolve.

_Before he finds Sweets, _the rest of them thought.

* * *

"I've tried hunting him, we've tried luring him out." Booth said frustrated. "Nothing seems to work with this psycho."

"How is he getting people?" Hodgins asked.

"I don't know, I've got calls between him and what I think are a couple of his people." Angela reported.

Brennan had a query, "Can we track the people he is enlisting for work?"

"I can get general locations." Angela said. "But it's not going to help us much. As far I as I can tell from the text messages, I think he has two girls."

"What if it's a trap and he doesn't really have anyone?" Cam asked.

"He does." Sweets assured them. "He knows that way we will come after him if he's going to hurt people."

"It's going to work, but not on his terms." Booth reminded them. "We have to find him first."

"We've never been good at that." Angela reminded Booth.

"How many weeks has it been and this guy is eluding us every time?" Hodgins asked.

"I'm getting pretty damn tired of it." Booth said increasingly agitated.

"Angela, can you see what time of day the cell phone was pinging, does he have specific routes?" Brennan asked looking for a way to pinpoint the elusive Carter.

"I might." Everyone's eyes began to glue to Angela's screens looking for patterns or routines they could nail Carter on, when he was at a certain place or when and why. They ran scenario after scenario.

The dog barked and everyone turned to see him sitting on the couch.

"Does he need to go out?" Hodgins asked looking for Sweets.

"Sweets?" Was the collective question when they looked around.

The dog shifted in his seat as a note dropped to the floor. Brennan quickly picked it up.

"Please take care of Roosevelt." She read aloud.

"He finally names the dog and goes where?" Hodgins questioned.

"I've got a text message here to Sweets' phone." Angela said hearing the ping from her screen. "Carter, meet me at Tallie Robert's diner, let the girls go."

"What the hell is he doing?" Hodgins asked.

Booth quickly headed for the door, "He's daring Carter to a showdown."

* * *

Sweets sat at the tiny roadside diner with a coffee cup in hand. The place was widely deserted at this late afternoon hour and the steady rainfall outside didn't help much. He looked at his watch, he knew Carter would get the text message, the others might but he had a head start on them. He figured Carter wasn't far from here anyway. _Tallie Roberts, she's mine Carter and not yours. It may take some time to put her back together but she's back with her family. And I've got to find a way to make sure that you never get her or anyone else again._

Sweets knew Carter couldn't resist this location, sure it was public but it was on Carter's territory, he felt safe here. Sweets sipped the terrible thick sludge the waitress insisted was coffee.

What happened next was something that surprised even Sweets when he walked in the door. He meaning Sweets was sure he saw himself sit down across the table from him.

"Good evening Dr. Sweets." The man who sat across from Sweets said. "I would say you're looking well but you're not. I'd say I make a much better version of you don't I?"

Sweets was appalled, flabbergasted and confused as he saw looking at a near mirror image of himself though he was sure his own suit was much nicer.

"You see Dr. Sweets, I figured out a way to keep working." Carter said. "You made it quite hard for me with just about everyone looking for me. But now I've got a great badge, an ID and a phone and well just about everything I need to be an agent. Why be a state trooper when a federal agent is much better? And I assure you, it gets me a lot more of what I want."

Carter's voice stood out but other than that the image before him was his own.

"It was an expensive process I assure you." Carter continued. "I had the money, cash from the business and of course I needed dozens of photos of you. Amazing what you can get from a telescopic lens or when the subject is merely sleeping. Yes, you fought it, but even you must sleep Dr. Sweets."

"You are completely insane." Sweets said finally.

"That's your complete diagnosis?" Carter asked and laughed.

"The diagnosis for you Carter may create an entirely new book on psychology."

"Too bad you're never going to get to write it."

"Where are the girls?" Sweets demanded, ignoring Carter's comment.

"Are you sure I have them?"

"I'm sure you have them."

"You know me well Dr. Sweets. You know I've told you before it's too bad I couldn't get you to come and work for me."

"I don't think you have a benefits plan that meets my requirements."

Carter laughed. "I did give you quite a bump didn't I? I didn't get to finish that job either. I'm glad you called to make this appointment. Though we should finish soon, I won't have much time when your friends show up."

"So why the elaborate charade?"

"Your friends will find out after you are gone and I'm am farther gone. Canada is a beautiful place don't you think? So many untapped resources."

"You're not taking any more people Carter." Sweets warned.

"Kill me and you'll never know where those girls are."

"Hold it." A voice said from a distance as John Gillespie walked closer. "Agent Booth called me, I was closer. Now…wait….what's going on here?" Gillespie asked as he grew closer to the table and saw the identical men.

"This man is an imposter of myself." Sweets said.

"I am not!" Carter said altering his voice though he didn't sound exactly like Sweets. Problem was though that John Gillespie had never actually heard Sweets talk, he had only seen him in a dire medical state.

"I have the identification to prove who _I _am." Carter said reaching for Sweets' ID.

"I don't have one yet, they haven't reissued it from when he stole it!" Sweets tried to assure Gillespie.

Gillespie's eyes moved back and forth between the men, he tried to remember where Sweets' scars were from the whole ordeal but the scars on both men seemed to match. The few patrons in the restaurant quickly fled leaving the three of them alone.

"Come on let's go." Gillespie said pulling Sweets out of the seat and starting to handcuff him.

"That's right, he's your man." Carter said standing up. "I'd better call for back up."

Gillespie stood behind Sweets trying to handcuff the resistant man when Sweets saw Carter reach in his pocket for his gun. Sweets pushed backwards sending himself and Gillespie over the booth and crashing onto the table. The motion knocked Gillespie out but Sweets jumped up in time for Carter to round the corner. Sweets instantly kicked Carter in the mouth with his hard soled shoe making the man's mouth spew blood while his gun skidded across the floor. Sweets then rushed the man sending them into the floor. Sweets fist swung across Carter's face as he began to beat the man to a pulp. Sweets looked at the demon, and not the familiar face it was wearing.

Sweets paused a bit breathless from the raging tirade that had been released than even he had been surprised by his own strength. "Where are those girls!" Sweets shouted.

"You're never going to know."

"I'll find them." Sweets said with a raised eyebrow. "I found the rest of them."

"Over my dead body." Carter flung Sweets backwards sending him crashing into the diner's stools. One hit across Sweets back causing immense pain. Carter scrambled over and tossed Sweets behind the counter knocking him out. Carter smiled as he was about to climb over the counter to collect Sweets when a black SUV pulled up out front. Booth and Brennan were the first in the door as Carter fell to the floor grabbing his mouth.

"Sweets!" Brennan said rushing to him and seeing the mess in the diner than had indicated a struggle. "Sweets are you okay?"

Carter shook his head as he covered his mouth indicating he couldn't talk. Booth ran to check on Gillespie while Brennan went to help Carter. Once Brennan was close Carter grabbed Brennan and put a gun to her head.

"Sweets?!" Booth said turning. "What the hell are you doing?"

Carter motioned for Booth to put down the gun. Booth did so based purely on the fact that it was Sweets asking him to do so.

Booth slowly tried to approach. "Sweets, if this is some sort of breakdown, we can help. Just stop what you are doing okay, Dr. Brennan is your friend."

A sound stirred from behind the diner counter.

"Booth?" Brennan said in Carter's grasp, looking up at his face. "This isn't Sweets."

"What?" Booth asked completely confused and Brennan looked over at the diner in the reflection of the mirror behind it.

Brennan slammed her foot down as hard as she could on Carter's insole causing him enough pain to loosen his grip then she jammed her finger in his eye making his arms reflectively raise up to his eye and thus let her go.

With Brennan out of his grip an shot fired into Carter's throat and he collapsed to the ground.

Booth's eyes filled with horror as he watched who he though was Sweets collapse to the floor. Cam, Angela and Hodgins filed in the door in order to see the same horror for themselves however Brennan was the only one to look over the diner to see Sweets leaning against the counter with the gun in his hand. Brennan rushed in his direction causing Booth to look over and see him as well. It was only for a second as Sweets legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor behind the counter.

"Sweets?!" Brennan said as she rushed over with Booth behind her.

"Ouch, I'm okay." Sweets said sitting up. "My back is killing me."

"Oh Jesus Sweets, I thought you were dead, and crazy, but mostly worried about the dead part." Booth said still confused.

"Is he okay?" Cam asked over the counter looking down at them.

"He's fine." Sweets said.

"This is so completely messed up." Hodgins said standing over Carter's dead body that looked like Sweets.

Angela walked over to Gillespie who was waking up.

"Hey are you okay?" She said helping him sit up. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"I don't care miss, you still look like an angel." Gillespie said smiling.

"Need a tall drink of water?" She teased per their earlier banter.

"I need something, but it had better be stronger than water." He joked as he slowly stood up.

Sweets was standing up at the same time. "Hey nice shot, not too many people go for the throat." Hodgins remarked.

"I was aiming for his head." Sweets said noting his still shaking hands.

"The aim will come back." Booth assured him. "It's not easy to fire a gun at a splitting image of yourself."

"Yeah so let's talk about that for a second." Angela said standing over dead Carter Sweets look alike. "I'm going to need to schedule a serious session after this because this is beyond…anything."

"Right, well I thought it was all heading south when someone didn't recognize me." Sweets said hobbling out from behind the diner's counter while staring down Gillespie.

"I recognized you." Gillespie said.

"And that's why you put me in handcuffs?" Sweets asked sarcastically.

Gillespie looked embarrassed for a moment, "I saw last time Carter had you, I didn't know what his plan was but I thought it was better if I had you than if he did."

"Oh." Sweets said.

"Men like Carter don't have eyes like yours." Gillespie added.

"I saw it too." Brennan said with a small grin. "At first I didn't get it and then when Carter had me in that grip, I noticed two things, one, for any of Sweets' faults - he doesn't smell like old cigarettes and cheeseburgers."

"Thank you." Sweets added sarcastically while sitting down on the diner's stool.

"And the eyes too." Brennan added. "I agree with Mr. Gillespie, Sweets eyes will always give him away."

"It that because they're always so red and puffy and look like they are on the verge of tears?" Booth joked.

"Or because they're always rolling from sarcastic remarks?" Hodgins added with a smile.

"Kindness." Cam and Angela answered together.

"That's something we know that Carter didn't have." Gillespie said looking at the dead man.

"Well, I'm sure as hell glad that isn't you." Hodgins added.

"Me too." Sweets said with a relaxed look he hadn't had since the case had begun but after a moment it faded and Booth grew worried that old Sweets would never return. "Those girls!" Sweets remembered.

"Where do you think Carter took them?" Hodgins asked.

Sweets recalled his conversation moments ago with Carter, '_So why the elaborate charade?' "Your friends will find out after you are gone and I'm am farther gone.'_

"He was setting me up for something. He was going to kill me, leave you guys to find something." Sweets said thinking.

"That's why he dressed up like you, in a very, very specific sense of dressing up like someone." Hodgins asked.

"So what was he up to?" Brennan questioned.

"His car, where is his car?" Sweets asked quickly.

"Outside I think." Booth said and quickly they ran to find a big van with no windows in the parking lot.

Booth reached the back of it first and pulled on the back door.

"How about the keys?" Hodgins asked having taken them off the dead body. "Still freaky by the way." He said thinking of removing them from dead Sweets.

Booth ignored the comments and opened one of door and Sweets opened the other. Three girls were bound and gagged in the back and jumped when the doors opened.

"It's okay!" Booth said trying to calm them. "We are with the FBI."

Sweets reached his hand in to help one of the girls out but she jumped back from him. He looked hurt.

"She thinks you're Carter." Booth said.

"Oh right." Sweets said backing up the same girl looked at Sweets again and this time moved forward and Sweets helped her out.

"I'm telling you, it's those big brown eyes." Angela said again as an ambulance that Gillespie had called pulled in.

Sweets removed the girl's gag and she smiled at him.

"They are nice eyes, very lovely." She said as the paramedics came to help her and the other girls.

"Very lovely indeed." Brennan said.

"So what now?" Booth asked.

"Booth, let's give Sweets a rest." Cam strongly suggested.

"Yeah okay." Booth said.

"No, it's not okay." Sweets interrupted. "There's still people to find, seems like a long road though."

"Hey it's called teamwork." Cam reminded them.

"Right, then let's get back to work." Hodgins said. "I'm sure that Arastoo is tired of watching Roosevelt."

"Yeah Sweets, why did you pick Roosevelt? Kind of strange." Angela said taking his arm in hers as they walked back to Booth's SUV.

"What did you expect? Sigmund?" Sweets asked.

"I thought Freud was largely discredited." Brennan commented.

"He is, but Theodore Roosevelt, was quite a man." Sweets remarked.

"Walk quietly and carry a big stick?" Hodgins asked.

"Walk quietly, carry and gun and keep your friends on the ready." Sweets joked.

"Always ready." Booth said throwing an arm around Sweets shoulder.

* * *

Well hope it's been enjoyable. I'm not sure now if it's time for me to depart from writing these, take a break, write a one shot, write the CIA story I have in mind or write a Supernatural FF. Have to see. Either way I thoroughly appreciate the faithful few who kept with me, you are truly lovely and magnificent.


End file.
